And while those patriots were recognized for lifetime contributions, this morning, future patriots were schooled in the love of country. It’s the annual school children’s rally. The event dates back to the time of independence, but it just never gets old seeing thousands of schoolchildren waving flags. Here’s more.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
As expected there wasn’t an empty bleacher inside the Belize City Centre.
Hon. Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“Because it is a time when the Ministry gets to speak and I am the spokesperson for the Ministry in this regard to our children, to your young people, to our teachers, to managers of schools to try to encourage them to be more patriotic. There has been a cry or a plea from many in our society to say that the civics or the national pride in education has been taken out and that is why we absolutely insist that this event takes place within our September celebrations every year. If we remove this then it will be just another act against that civic education and civic pride that is very important if we are to progress as a nation.”
Thousands of primary school students attended this year’s rally that included more than the usual line up of cultural presentations to celebrate
the twenty seventh anniversary of Belize’s independence. And while these boys and girls were not around until some sixteen years after Belize attained her independence on September twenty first, 1981 they are certainly aware of the need to commemorate the occasion.
Krisna Hines, 13 years old
“Well I think Belize achieved more freedom and we get fi govern ourselves and anything which comes near us I think we could handle.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
What did you like about this year’s rally?
Mario Rodriquez, 11 years old
“It is important to share with us the meaning of independence and patriotism and so forth and I like this year about the creativity in the rally.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Now the Minister had you boys and girls do something very important during this year’s rally, what was that?
Mario Rodriquez,
“Make a pledge.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
And what did you pledge to do?
Mario Rodriquez,
“Stop the crime and violence and not to get involved.”
Krisna Hines,
“I would like to see more young people become more educated in school and stop the violence and let the people enjoy their independence and no violence around.”
Hon. Patrick Faber,
“The message was based on patriotism and also asking our young people to stay away from in the future any kind of acts of crime or violence and that
is a very important message I believe to bring to our young children at this time because we are seeing more and more that the crimes that are happening in our society are being done by young people. So it’s never too early so I wanted to make sure we bring that message especially to the children to ask them to find alternative ways of solving their problems and to turn to the gun and turn to violence.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
Are you serious about sticking to your pledge?
Krisna Hines,
“Yeah, I don’t want to get into the violence, I don’t think students need to be violence, I just think they need to get their education.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
What message you have for young boys like yourself?
Oscar Varela, 13 years old
“Stop the crime, put down the gun, and stay in school.”
Following the three hour rally the children went home for the rest of the day.
Jacqueline Godwin,
You students will be getting the rest of the day off, you won’t be going
back to school, what you plan to do on your day off?
Angel Castillo, 11 years old
“Visit my friends.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
What will you be doing on your day off?
Mario Rodriquez,
“Homework.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
You sure you won’t be going out visiting your friends and playing?
Mario Rodriquez,
“No.”
And as these children get ready to enjoy their long holiday weekend much effort is being made to improve their education. One plan is to make the learning process not only affordable but relevant to Belizean students. According to Faber the plan is to see how Belizean literary publications can be incorporated in the national school curriculum.
Hon. Patrick Faber,
“We will seriously review the current textbooks that are being used in the free textbooks program and I’ve met with all of the local publishers, they have come to see me and I have made a pledge to them that we will do nationwide consultation. Those consultations will happen before December of this year and we will go from district to district to ask the stakeholders, the teachers, the parents, and publishers – everybody who has an opinion, to help us to decide what are the best textbooks to be used in our schools and once we decide on those books then those will become the official books and we will ask our schools not to be using any other books.”
This year’s children’s rally was celebrated under the theme Belizeans: learning our past, impacting our present, embracing our future.
