–Draws nexus between independence, access to education

THE pre-independence era has been described as a time when our nation’s citizenry endured national oppression and discrimination against the common right to pursue basic education.

Our nation’s transformation after gaining Independence was discussed at an Independence and Child Rights Workshop hosted by the Rights of the Child Commission (RCC) on Monday, when Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo was the feature speaker at the opening ceremony.

Addressing a room filled with students, teachers and other invitees, the prime minister encouraged his audience to look at the attainment of Independence as a gateway to freedom from an era which did not allow for equal access to education, which, in turn, could be described as a bondage holding the country down politically, educationally and economically.
Describing the system as purely discriminatory, the PM said: “It was something you had to get rid of. And so, independence also meant the declaration of freedom against national oppression, against discrimination that forces you to be something that you should not be.”
But despite the negativities, which were enshrined in our colonial history, the PM said he is proud of the good fight that was put up over the decades, which has allowed our nation to graduate to a stage where education is highly accessible and free.

“It is a fact when you focus on the Independence struggle and the achievement of Independence, that it would mean nothing if it would not translate into intellectual freedom,” he said, adding:
“Our 51 years of Independence cannot be divorced from the efforts that have been made for us to provide the best opportunities for our children.”
Touching on the right of a child to a speedy trial, the PM said no child should be held custody in an adult penal facility, as has been happening here. Neither should they be identified during court proceedings, which is something he feels the media should uphold.
“The media has a responsibility not to help with the demoralisation of our young people, particularly children, by identifying them and exposing them to ridicule and condemnation,” he said.

Chairwoman of the Women and Gender Equality Commission, Ms. Indra Chandarpal also spoke briefly on the issue of child protection, particularly the legislations governing it post-Independence, and the evolution of the education system here to where it’s at today.
RCC Chairperson, Ms. Aleema Nasir, on the other hand, spoke about upholding the rights of the child and the need for children to be educated, which is something she said the RCC has been working assiduously on addressing.

“We feel that our children and youths must be grounded in such narrative, which will, in turn, shape their participation and leadership capacity and role,” she said.
Contending that an educated child is one that is empowered and can therefore make meaningful contributions to society, and by so doing help dismantle the system of colonialism, Nasir said:
“This explains the exhaustive work of the RCC in each administrative region in lifting the consciousness of all adult stakeholders, inclusive of adult vision councils, regional and district hospitals, RDCs, police, juvenile holding centres, and Guyana’s correctional facility.”
She also called for the rights of children with disability to be preserved, as are the rights of children in contact with the law so they can receive a speedy trial, since most children involved in crime are victims of multi-dimensional child poverty.

Ambassador Jernej Videti? of the European Union gave the Government of Guyana, the RCC and other local human rights organisations the assurance that the EU remains committed to the fight for human rights to be recognised in Guyana.
“The European Union has a long-term commitment to saving families and communities for Guyanese children,” he said.
“Human rights are one of the core values for the European Union and its member states; the rights of vulnerable groups, especially children, are particularly important in this regard,” he added.

Cultural Policy Advisor to the Ministry of Education, Mr Ruel Johnson, while he agreed that the nation has transitioned since Independence, and that the fight on human rights has widened, said the education system has been failing generations of children living in Indigenous communities countrywide, especially those who only speak their native language.
It’s a trend, he said, that is currently engaging the attention of the Ministry of Education.
The Independence and Child Rights Workshop was launched in 2016 in recognition of Guyana’s 50th Jubilee Celebrations, and after seeing its success, the RCC decided to make it an annual event.
The aim is to expose children to an overview of Guyana’s history in an anti-colonial movement and struggle which ended in 1966.