In continuing assistance programme…
NEW York based Greenlight Guyana Educational Project (GGEP) is continuing to positively impact the lives of children in the rural communities of Bagotville, Nismes and La Retraite, West Bank Demerara, by aiding their education with school uniforms. The United States (U.S.) benefactor organisation gave 400 pupils, in grades two to six, backpacks containing custom-made attire, books and other school supplies.
President of GGEP, Ms. Salome Osborne made the presentation at the three adopted primary schools, last Wednesday, aided by the head teachers and staff, representatives of the respective Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and other volunteers.
The beneficiaries, beaming with excitement, together with their parents, expressed gratitude for the goodwill gesture that has been made for the fourth year.
GGEP places great emphasis, as well, on encouraging and developing reading skills and distributed books to both children and parents and that donation was endorsed by Ms. Patricia Mc Kenzie-Allen, Librarian at Bagotville Library and Youth Officer in Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands), Ms. Hazel Wilson, who had words of encouragement for the gathering.
Salome Osborne, who did an objective analysis of the children’s academic performance, based on the results of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations, expressed disappointment and called on the parents to help their charges.
But President of Bagotville PTA, Ms. Shirley Osborne observed that, among the many variables contributing to weakened showing, is the shortage of teachers, which has resulted in slow learners being placed in the same class with quick achievers, to the detriment of the latter.
Mr. Thomas Eversley, also of GGEP, emphasised the need to care the gifts received and spoke about reinforcing values and rules governing children’s attendance and performance at school.
The visiting Osborne, who had several years of teaching experience, made a personal commitment to personally finance the secondary education of any child from any of the three schools gaining entry to either of the top five schools in Georgetown, after succeeding at the NGSA.
She acknowledged that two key areas initially addressed by GGEP as the root causes of children’s poor attendance at school; shortened attention span and lack of interest, were not having uniforms and books and studying while hungry.
Osborne said, that was responsible for the establishment of GGEP in 2006 and remains the solid force behind wedging parents and children with teaching staff in the interest of producing well-rounded scholars who can contribute, meaningfully, to their communities and the country at large.
She said that collaboration has seen visible changes in the physical environment of the schools through the installation and painting of grills on windows and doors at Nismes and, with the Ministry of Education, the construction of a sanitary block, facilitating running water and three 500-gallons tanks at Bagotville, over the last year.
Other concerns currently being addressed are the landscaping and fencing of Nismes school compound to make it user friendly, Osborne said.