Dear Editor,
I noticed an ongoing discussion between an Opposition MP and the Minister of Education concerning a breakfast programme in schools. Child Nutrition programmes, buses, bicycles, and boats for transportation are good supports for effective education, regardless of which Govern-ment initiated the programme. Good ideas need not be discarded simply because it was the “brainchild” of another Government. That is simply silly! No one party has the answers or has a corner on the market of ideas. Our two major parties have practiced a “cancel” culture and wish and pray the other would fail while in Government. The PNC cancelled the specialty hospital and ended the PPP’s “Because We Care” Grants. That was backward. The PPP repeal-\ed the PNC’s Natural Resource Fund Bill, which was a better bill than the substitute. If it is true the PPP is repealing the 5Bs, that’s very backward too. If there were problems in the 5Bs, “mend it, not end it.” If we are going to have a Child Nutrition programme that includes breakfast, it should be universal for all students in all grades wishing to participate. In an oil rich country that we boast of having the highest economic growth in the world, what logic is there in limiting it to Grade 6, while the oil companies fetch away our wealth? The most hilarious answer from the Ministry was, “Why Grade Six? Because they are in an exam class,” the Ministry explained. So, while Exxon and friends are allowed to not pay taxes, let’s starve our school children from nursery to Grade 5, and feed them only when they reach Grade 6 when they have to write the NGSA? Does the Minis-try understand that Grade 6 builds on Grade 5, that builds on Grade 4, that builds on Grade 3, etc.?
Mr. Granger’s Public Education and Transportation System (PETS) commonly referred to as the 5 Bs programmes were good initiatives, and should be maintained, not killed by the PPP. Recent pictures of the “David G” buses abandoned and rotting are sad and disappointing. If the PPP did not want to use the PNC’s name for the programme, give it a different name, paint the buses in a different colour (maybe Presidential blue) and rebrand it as a PPP initiative.
“Children living in vulnerable communities, riverain and hinterland areas or far from their schools, have benefited from the initiative through the provision of buses, boats, bicycles, books and breakfast – all free of charge. This programme was rolled out in all ten administrative regions and has entirely transformed children’s access to education,” (DPI, “5B’s in action!,” Oct. 19, 2019).
School transportation services and Child Nutrition services for children is money well spent. The USA spends US$30 billion (3 times the whole of Guy-ana’s budget) on Child Nutrition through the US Department of Agriculture. In North Carolina, for instance, all public schools provide transportation to school and home, for all students who chose to ride the buses. Schools provide breakfast and lunch for all those wishing to participate in the “Child Nutrition” programme (that’s a better name than “school feeding” programme). Breakfast and lunch can be obtained free or on a reduced cost basis based on family income. Bus drivers and workers in the child nutrition programme have to be specially trained and certified and staff must follow federal and state standards. There are tons of rules that govern Child Nutrition and school cafeteria services. The breakfast and lunch programmes must follow strict health, safety, balanced nutrition and food science, storage and temperature control, refrigeration, strict food handling, and sanitation standards. Sugary drinks and snacks and unhealthy, fast foods are not encouraged. Water has replaced drink vending machines. The Child Nutrition programme works in tandem with the physical education and wellness programmes. So simply wrapping a sandwich with a boxed juice alone is not enough. I hope that’s a DDL or other local juice and not a foreign, imported juice. Why are we importing juices when we can produce that ourselves? So, let’s put children first, and politics behind, and provide the supports that help us educate all our students for success. Let Exxon pay their taxes so we may do all these things for our own Guyanese people. Wake up Guyana!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall
