The last several weeks have seen Guyanese children shining, supported by the Education Ministry’s Allied Arts Unit, and whether it was the kaleidoscopic vision on show during Saturday’s road parade, or the creativity that wowed many, the message was clear – Guyana’s children want change.
The more serious appeals came through in the dramatic poetry segment of both the regional and national competitions and featured themes such as, just to name a few, ‘No child left behind’, ‘Youth in despair’, ‘Stay at School’, ‘Teacher’s Plight’, ‘Dump Site’, ‘Child Abuse’ and ‘Help mi daddy’.
The latter was performed by Toshana Bancroft from South Ruimveldt Park Nursery, who begged the audience to “help mi daddy,” whose abusive actions affects more than just her mother. Domestic violence advocacy has not been as well-championed in any other forum as it was by the young girl, whose pleas have left an indelible impression on the minds of persons in the audience, both at the National Cultural Centre and those viewing from home via television.
Pointing to the insignificance with which children are regarded, the young girl underpins the most primary of children’s rights – the right of a child to give an opinion and have it taken seriously by adults (Article 12 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child [CRC]), and the rights to be protected from being hurt and mistreated in body and Mind (Article 19 of the CRC).
“Why my daddy always beating my mommy….I tell them to stop and I get some licks too…I love my mommy. I love my daddy. Somebody please help mi daddy,” Bancroft pleads.
Disparity and discrimination was also brought to the fore and tots from Albouystown Nursery challenged the perceptions of persons in the wider society about communities like Albouystown, with a piece titled ‘Seconds’ which bemoaned the second place mentality that constrain attitudes toward inhabitants of communities they consider as local “ghettoes”.
The Calypso segment was equally impactful, with messages that stressed recognition that Guyana is a ‘Land of One People’ and the need to ‘Let’s Unite Guyanese’, ‘Mash out illiteracy’ and offer ‘A Prayer for the Youth’, as well as the need to ‘Make a Brand New Nation’.
An appeal for ‘Unity and Equality’ was also made by the children.
On a lighter note the dance and costume display segments carried similar messages and also celebrated how far Guyana has come.
President Bharrat Jagdeo’s recognition as Champion of the Earth was highlighted and Guyana’s lead role in the climate change fight was celebrated – one of many things to be proud of after more that 40 years as a Republic Nation.
While efforts of teachers who put the pieces together are laudable, the children responded eagerly to their tutelage and brought to the stage nothing elaborate or sophisticated, but their own innocent perceptions, coupled with individual creativity – a simple appreciation for the journey we have travelled and a call for change for a better Guyana.
However, it was not all smooth sailing during the competitions, as the recognition of morality, expressly among the younger children, came into question.
A point of concern for many was the level of crude movements by even the youngest competitors, the nursery school children, who mimicked popular dance moves by artistes like Shelly G, among others, which were not considered particularly age-appropriate.
Understandably not much can be done to shield our children from everything unsuitable, expressly the illicit music and videos promoted on various platforms.
That, added to the rapid development in information technology, has resulted in the increased access children have to all forms of information and visual replications.
Even so, however, it would be amiss to say that all is lost; there must be something that can be done – our children can be shown that there is much more to life and, given a broader scope, they would be able to step above the negative influences.
Here is where our teachers come in.
Education Minister Shaik Baksh has said repeatedly said that a balance between aesthetics and academic is quintessential, and the Ministry’s Allied Arts Unit has been working vigorously to advance this.
That said, the Unit created programmes to provide children a platform for creative expression, which adds to their confidence and self esteem and feeds backs into academic success, instead of imitating art forms that border on vulgarity.
The citizenry must also take responsibility, and together assist in the development of Guyana’s children – who are Guyana’s future.
Together stakeholders can respond to the call from Guyana’s children for change, for progress, for a better and brighter future.