AS the Linden Town Week 2019 activities continue, teachers and parents from across Linden benefited from a workshop aimed at helping them to understand and respond to cases of neglect and abuse.

Hosting the workshop was Linden Fund Guyana Incorporated. According to facilitator, Dr Ivy Mitchell, while the workshops are held annually to equip teachers with various skills, this year a different theme was chosen, as the team would have realised there is a desperate need to tackle abuse. Statistics have shown that Region 10 has one of the highest rates of child abuse, with neglect playing a major role. While previous workshops focused on only teachers, this year, parents and administrators were welcomed to participate so as to create that avenue for all parties to work together, for the betterment of the child. “So they are interacting with each other, talking about what they see with abuse and neglect among children and how the three groups can work together for a solution,” Mitchell said.

Teachers and parents from the three levels of schooling: nursery, primary and secondary, participated, but same was also limited because of space and resources. The facilitators, however, are optimistic that those now in an informed position, would share the knowledge with their colleagues and friends. “We are hoping they will go back and share that information with others because there is a desperate need.” Teachers from the private schools also participated as well as retired teachers, as opposed to previous years.

Regional Education Officer Region 10, Rabindra Singh, said that the region more than welcomes and appreciates the efforts of Linden Fund and its continuous contribution to improving the quality of education in Linden.

He said too much emphasis is placed on the academic success of the child while ignoring other aspects of growth, healing and development, which are all needed. “We are concentrating mostly on the secular knowledge of the children and giving them a livelihood, but then we are not building the human nature, the character of the child. I feel if we want a holistic improvement of the child, then all stakeholders need to come on-board”.

He is also appreciative that parents were part of the exercise as they too have a role to play and they can return with that knowledge to their homes and communities. It has been recorded that Region 10 has one of the highest rates of child abuse in Guyana. In 2017, the Child Care and Protection Agency, recorded a total of 4,179 cases of child abuse. The region reflected 22.1 per cent per 1,000 children. In every thousand children, 15 are being abused. Every two hours a child is abused and every day 11 children are abused.