I want to applaud the efforts of the Minister of Education, the Government and all stakeholders in trying to improve Belize’s education structure. I am also disappointed on hearing the consecutive reports of ‘scrape-dog’ passes and failures by a large percentage of our children in the Primary School Exams. Our primary and high school dropout rates are alarming, which is a major contributor to our crime situation.
I have witnessed firsthand the rapidly declining interest that students have in learning and excelling and even in participating in other non-academic areas of student life such as sports. Indisputably there has to be a serious look at all aspects of the problem and make changes where necessary. However, I do not believe that the problem lies squarely on our church-state system of education as some would have us believe. The recent assaults on this privileged system of education as being ineffective and a failure are the results of refusing to properly investigate the causes of our children’s poor academic performance. Furthermore, it reeks suspiciously of a first and subtle attempt to take God out of Belize’s school system.
I understand that religion is not in the curriculum of all the government high schools. Do we want to copy America where it is unlawful for public school teachers and students to even mention the name of God or Jesus? If that is the kind of education system we want then we just have to look at the news and talk shows to see the disastrous results of removing God from the public school system!
I would like to remind those who would prefer that the Bible is not taught in our schools that Christians have been at the forefront of social change down through the centuries. Martin Luther, a German and one of the 16th Century Reformers, advocated for government funding of public education so that the laity would be able to read and read the Bible for themselves.
When people learned to read the Bible there was the corresponding recovery of the gospel of grace. The lives of people were radically changed, which led to the great missionary movement and the fall of many strongholds, including slavery, child labour, polygamy, cannibalism and other societal ills in many areas of the world where the gospel was taken. The church is a vital social institution and the government should respect and support its work instead of blaming her for the failures of negligent parenting, which in my opinion is the number one reason for our children’s poor performance in school.
A careful investigation involving students, parents, teachers and social workers would reveal that many children are unmotivated and have no ambitions to succeed in life because of their living conditions, mainly the absence of proper parenting. It could be confirmed that the majority of children who fail or quit school come from dysfunctional homes where there are no fathers and the mothers, or in some cases grandmothers, at home are unable to provide adequately for the child’s needs.
The fulfillment of basic emotional and psychological needs at childhood is necessary for one to respond positively to the demands of self and others. A loving and strong family unit determines a child’s successful responses to life and although there may be a few who succeed against all odds, the majority do not. As a teacher I have observed that too many children go to school without breakfast, without a clean uniform, without books and without their homework. Some parents do not even attend PTA meetings or pick up their child’s report card to find out his or her academic performance or behavior at school.
How many parents give their children a reassuring kiss or hug before they leave for school or assist them with homework? ;The influence of parents at home is crucial to a child’s development and performance at school. Psychologists say that the rejection of parents and their failure to communicate assurance and worth to a child will affect a child’s grades in school. I wish that all fathers would realize this truth and become faithful and committed to their wives and children. Adhering to God’s standard of a monogamous marriage will do more to help our children achieve in school than the proposed Teaching Service Commission.
While our fathers get their act together, in the meantime, as a society there is much more that we can do to help our children grow intellectually and morally. Are the police enforcing curfew laws to discourage students from being out of their homes late at night instead of studying or resting? Are our cable providers showing decent and educational programs in order to develop and not distract and pervert the minds of our children?
Is liquor being sold to minors who have to go to school the next day? Are pregnant mothers drinking alcohol that will destroy the learning potential of their children even before they are born? Are our politicians investing every budgeted cent of the education budget into education? Are the songs played on our radio stations suitable for our children’s ears, or are they songs that will get them fascinated about love and sex before they are ready?
Do our women prefer to gamble their last $20.00 at Princess Casino or around the corner, instead of buying food or books for their children? Are our teachers and principals monitoring the female student who is sick all the time to make sure she is not the client of some perverted tourist who came to Belize to have sex with a 15- year-old student? We can all help to improve the learning environment and academic performance of our children because “it takes a village to raise a child”.
The late Michael Jackson sang that if we want change we should begin with the man in the mirror and ask him to change his ways. Are we as individuals and as a nation willing to make the changes that will bring health and healing to the bodies, minds and souls of our invaluable assets — our children? After all is said, education is not just gaining knowledge but it is a change in behavior, which the Church has been imploring people to do all along and is teaching the students at their schools to do for the improvement of their person and their country.
Zelda Wade Hill
Amandala

---