MINISTER Baksh’s recent call for a religious partnership between his ministry and the religious community for moral revival in schools and in the nation as a whole, is indeed a direction which, if realized, can bring about a positive mindset, beginning with our young people. It echoes similar sentiments about a “moral and spiritual revival”, offered by the City mayor from time to time.
It must be viewed as a very serious statement, coming from a minister who has often expressed concern about the general behaviour of the nation’s school population. Therefore, the religious community should answer this worthy call and begin with the ministry’s concerned brass to evolve a programme on religion and morals for the school curriculum, as he has suggested.
It is an overwhelming recognition that there has been a deterioration of morals and values, and that such is impacting on the vulnerable young; the results of which we are all too familiar with. I do believe, more than ever before, that we need to capture the minds of our young before they are infected with more extreme types of behaviours. And since the school constitutes a most important segment of sojourn for them, then it is appropriate that the process suggested, begins there.

But what about adults, who should be the ultimate role models and mentors; but whose behaviours are very bad examples for the young, even their own children. The Ministry of Education is about to introduce a schools mentoring programme, which is very good, for what it is intended to achieve. However, there is need for a similar scheme to be introduced for adults in general. The latter are often unbelievable in what they portray.

This call from the minister should be a two-sided plan that ought to involve, especially parents whose children are at school. Parents must be the other half of this plan of the revitalization of moral values.