— youth ambassadors highlight challenges to National Assembly

YOUTH Ambassadors of the Rights of the Child Commission beseeched the National Assembly to keep on the forefront of its deliberations the challenges facing the nation’s children in the areas of education, health, social protection, social cohesion and hinterland development.

In observance of the anniversary of the proclamation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is being observed today, November 20, the youth ambassadors during a special caucus consulted and deliberated on the thematic areas before arriving at a consensus.

Based on that consensus, Youth Ambassador Bibi Nareema Khan – a sixth form student of the St. Rose’s High School, and her colleague – Jeremy Fraser of President’s College, called the National Assembly to action during its 72nd Sitting last Friday.

“The children of Guyana hereby beseech the National Assembly to continue to work in the interest of the improvement and advancement of Guyana’s education system. We view education as a life-long process of growth, realisation and capacity-building, intended to harness the values and skills of our citizens to render benevolent and beneficial roles at the community, regional, national and international levels,” Khan told the National Assembly.
The youth ambassador said there is a need to continuously review, update and revise the curriculum to ensure that it remains in consonance with the shifting economic pillars of the country.

It is the youth ambassadors’ belief that given the difference between hinterland and coastal schools, a single curriculum and attendant examinations are not respectful of the varying geographic, linguistic and cultural conditions along with the varying economic necessities.
The need for more trained social workers/guidance counsellors in schools, Special Needs Education, cross-streaming and improvement in the area of infrastructure were among the other issues brought to the fore.
According to Khan, there are still some schools with moribund laboratories and libraries in urgent need of repair and upgrade.

ARCHAIC
“In many of our schools, because a student is placed in a particular stream, that student is prohibited from studying a subject offered in another stream. Such restrictions, we feel, are archaic and anachronistic and stifling of the academic and professional aspirations of our children,” the youth ambassador pointed out.

In the area of health, the youth ambassador called the National Assembly’s attention to the need to have the mental health of the country’s children treated as a priority.
“Oftentimes, we feel that there is not a national recognition of the impact of such scourges as bullying, peer pressure, parental pressure, neglect and abuse and other community and societal maladies on the mental health of our nation’s children.

“We feel that the presence of social workers in the schools and other settings of the community will go a far way in offering the much-needed therapy. Such an approach is much-needed in addressing the bane of suicide which affects some of our communities and regions,” Khan told the 65-member National Assembly.

Reducing infant, child and maternal mortality rates, preventing the spread of communicable diseases such as malaria, and reducing malnutrition among vulnerable populations must remain on the front burner, the St. Rose’s High student said.

END ALL FORMS OF NEGLECT
“We call attention to the need to continue to work ardently and diligently to abolish all forms of neglect and abuse currently stultifying the holistic growth and development of our nation’s children. Such includes an effective reporting system with timely and inadequate [sic] investigations and child-sensitive protection in order to bring perpetrators to justice,” the youth ambassador implored the House as she turned her attention to the string of social issues plaguing the nation’s children.

Victims of violence must be counselled and given the necessary assistance to recover and reintegrate into society, she added, while underscoring the importance of strengthening awareness campaigns aimed at combating child abuse.
Her fellow Youth Ambassador, Jeremy Fraser, in making his contribution said the country must work towards creating a society where the values of equality, equity and meritocracy are upheld.

“We call attention [to] the values which direct, inform and guide the work of the Rights of the Child Commission’s youth ambassadors. These include the ideals of non-discrimination; repugnance for racism and xenophobia; tolerance for dissent, exemplary conduct, teamwork; a commitment to competence and excellence; a commitment to service, the rule of law, generosity of spirit and a commitment to child rights,” Fraser said in his opening remarks.

In the area of hinterland development, Fraser told the Members of Parliament that there is a clear and urgent need to significantly improve the delivery of nursery, primary and secondary education in the hinterland. But such needed improvement is not limited to education, Fraser said, while calling for similar actions to be taken in the areas of health, sport, transportation, infrastructure and security.

“We call attention to the Port Kaituma and Mabaruma Sub-Regions of Region One. The deplorable state of the roads in those locations is an indicator of the hinterland’s underdevelopment. Moreover, the deplorable state of such roads hinders the provision of critical child-related services,” the youth ambassador stated.

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, applauded the youth ambassadors for their eloquent presentation to the House on matters of national importance.
Opposition Member and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services, Dr Vindhya Persaud, echoed Dr. Scotland’s sentiments, noting that the National Assembly has taken note of the concerns of the nation’s children.

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD
“I would like to ask you as young people to continue to make your voices heard, to fight for democracy to be upheld in this country,” she told the youth ambassadors.
Persaud also used the opportunity to extend an invitation to the youth ambassadors to engage the Parliamentary Sectoral Committee on Social Services, so that collectively they can address the issues raised.

Leader of the House and Prime Minister of Guyana Moses Nagamootoo, said that in singling out issues such as the need for Special Needs Education, Cross Streaming and improvement in the area of infrastructure, the youth ambassadors are telling the elected members of the House that they have a voice.

“This voice has not always been there, and I can say that as prime minister of this country, young people have been allowed an opportunity to develop themselves,” he said.
Prime Minister Nagamootoo assured the nation’s children that the administration will continue to recognise them not only in the area of academia, but in sports and culture for their exemplary performance.