Education Minister Shaik Baksh in his message for Education Month which is observed every year during this month urged all stakeholders to work collectively to ensure a highly successful 2009-2010 academic year and to that end exhorted the need to begin by focusing on some of the basic elements which are critical to attaining educational goals and objectives. The theme for education month “School Attendance and Punctuality; Keys to Education Success” identifies two of those elements.

The minister is perfectly right; we need to get back to the basics. It makes no sense we build all the wonderful institutions, implement excellent teacher training programmes, etc. but we do not get the basics right because we will end up back at square one.

However, an important factor in this equation is that parents, teachers, community leaders, etc. have to carry themselves in such exemplary manner so that they truly become role models to our children.

Teachers, parents and leaders have to set the example by being punctual at work and when attending other engagements. It is no secret that children have a tremendous tendency to imitate the behaviour of adults, especially those who are seen as role models.

But the reality of today’s world, unfortunately, is that many of those who should be role models on the contrary are guilty of not upholding the right values and in extreme cases, even indulge in the some of the worse forms of immorality and ill behaviour.

On the issue of punctuality this has become a sore problem in our entire society. In fact, lateness to work, school, meetings, etc. have become the norm and when an event gets underway on time it is more of a pleasant surprise rather than the regular practice. In short the punctuality problem has become endemic in our society.

Therefore, while we urge our children to be punctual at school at the same time we have to work concertedly to make punctuality become a norm and perhaps a part of the culture of our society.

Another interesting and pertinent point made by Mr. Baksh in his message was his call for the return to the days when the entire community aided in ensuring that children met their responsibilities and guided the young along the right path.

“Our communities need to return to those practices. If our nation is going to benefit from the significant contribution the Government of Guyana is making in the area of education, we must all play our part, because we stand to benefit in the long run,” Mr. Baksh correctly observed.

In other words, the minister was speaking of the days when the community spirit was alive and well and is urging a return to those days.

However, modernisation and the insatiable pursuit of material wealth have destroyed such wonderful concepts and practices such as the community spirit.

In fact, modernisaton and the pursuit of materialism have resulted in people moving away from the spirit of collective thinking and action towards a more selfish and individualistic thinking, outlook and behaviour which are the source of so many of our societal problems. Today’s society has become a dollar-driven one where morality, discipline, decency, community spirit and such like human actions have been sent to the back burner.

We have moved from the days when grandparents and the elderly were next in line to take care of children in the absence of their parents. Today, we have day care centres whose services have to be paid for.

So Mr. Baksh is right, indeed we need to get back to those days of the community spirit but the hurdles and the distractions of the so-called modern world may prove an uphill task but nevertheless we have to work towards such a goal and the draw inspiration from the old Chinese proverb: “the longest journey begins with the first step” or Frank Sinatra’s famous song: “Life is like a cycle.”