THE Georgetown leg of the Children’s Mashramani Competition concluded yesterday with the students giving breath-taking and heart pumping performances at the physical display activities. 

Again packed to capacity, the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall came alive with cheers and wows as the children from primary and secondary schools performed their pieces. The action started from 11:00 hrs with some performances from the primary aged students.
Some 15 entries were presented with St. John’s College and St. George’s High outdoing themselves as they were greeted with loud cheers when they performed their well-coordinated movements and flexibility.
South Ruimveldt Secondary girls under the theme ‘Jiro Gymbatis’ completed their jump rope piece with little mistakes to wow the crowd with their foot movements. Colaaco Primary and St. Anne’s Primary also brought their ‘A’ game as they executed their exercising performances.
The Regional Children’s Mashramani Competition will commence action at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) on Thursday February 12 with dance and masquerade performances and the calypso and dramatic poetry competitions will take place on February 13. Children’s Mashramani Competition will culminate with the costume parade on February 14 starting at the Parade Ground at 10:00 hrs.
The Children’s Mashramani Activities officially became the responsibility of the Ministry of Education in February 1992. The competitions are held at the Regional and National levels for Primary and Secondary schools. Children at the nursery level also participate in some of the activities but only at the Regional Level.
The Children’s Costume Parade was introduced in 1996; this parade culminates the series of activities and involves approximately four thousand plus children from schools and youth groups throughout Guyana. It is a collaborative effort among the Ministry of Education, Private Sector and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). (Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)