…to address ‘unkind behaviour on social media’
IN a bid to stamp out bullying among teachers, parents and students on social media platforms, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched a ‘BEKIND’ campaign that seeks to address the upsurge in the practice here.
The campaign is expected to run for an indefinite period, and will include interactive posts intended to prompt short videos, sharable graphics, short animated videos and wallpaper graphics, so as to stimulate discussion about the issue on the various social media platforms.
“The primary targets of the ‘BEKIND’ campaign are children, teachers, and parents who have had harsh experiences due to COVID-19 and its impact,” the ministry said in a statement on Monday.
As it went on to say, “The MoE is cognisant that the advancement of emotional intelligence is critical in helping youths prepare for the difficulties they face as youngsters today, and as grown-ups tomorrow. The campaign aims to promote the development of emotional intelligence of children, teachers, parents, and all Guyanese through education and kindness. It also aims to celebrate and amplify the power of kindness through education.”
It gave as its reason for embarking on the campaign the irresponsible way in which persons have been using social media, particularly of late, to communicate with each other.
“Use of social media platforms for interactions between parents, students and teachers,” the ministry says, “increased exponentially over the past year due to the school closures that were brought on by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The use of several of those platforms has been incorporated as part of a multi-faceted, blended learning approach that the MoE has had to adopt over the past few months in order to begin re-engaging students at public schools.
“Teachers started using Zoom, WhatsApp, Edmodo and other similar platforms to engage children while they are at home.
“Due to the virtual nature of the learning, and the students being at home, parents have also had an increased role to play in their children’s education for these new approaches to education delivery to be successful. At times, some parents found it challenging to navigate across these platforms.
“It is in this context that the Honourable Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, urged social media users to be kinder, less harsh, less judgmental and less insensitive.”
It quotes the minister as saying, “Think twice before laughing at, mocking or poking fun at other social media users at this time.”
In closing, the ministry noted that the development of a culture of “graciousness and kindness” would go a long way in creating “a ripple effect that can have sweeping impact across families, communities, and the country as a whole.”
