Karim
has asked me to provide a short account of my
recent visit which I have great delight in doing.
So where was I? Well I was in a country, and in
particular a city, where teachers are respected,
children crave for knowledge, parents see the
value of education and all learning and the
development of the potential of children is seen
as paramount. The culture and history of the
people are preserved and set on a pedestal.
Art,
music and dance in their many forms are as food
for personal development and the discipline of the
art form transfers to other aspects of the
children's lives. Children delight in sharing
their skills and indeed promoting the particular
art form that they are interested in. Is this an
educational utopia - well just maybe it is.
I
was in the city of Mozyr, Belarus and a relatively short
distance from the site of possibly the world's greatest
catastrophe: Chernobyl. The catastrophe of Chernobyl,
which affected the world, is of course in the history of
Belarus but in the efforts of the people to strive for
normality they have not realised that they are achieving
excellence. Of course there are problems. There are few
resources, and economic hardship is a feature not only in
schools but throughout society. However, that can never
detract from an educational milieu that works.
During
my many visits to Belarus I have witnessed much
and at times do wonder if maybe we haven't somehow
got it wrong in the UK. I have visited prisons,
orphanages, schools of all shape and size and have
departed from them in awe and sometimes with
tears.
On
a recent visit my friend, Benjamin, left a
computer school with such a sad expression on his
face. The children , 10 year olds, were not only
programming but taking the tops of the computers
to change the microchips. Benjamin told me that
these children were ahead of his Third Year
students at a well known UK university.
How
can an orphanage in Mozyr develop such happiness
and "disciplined" confidence in children
at the age of three at a level not seen in many of
our schools at all? How can I walk into a school
of 1000 pupils and sense the serenity and
discipline of learning? Maybe it is because they
do not have play stations, Kentucky Fried Chicken,
trainers and large homes.
During
this visit and others my mind has also raised many
questions regarding the aid that is being supplied to
Belarus and other countries. There is of course no greater
attribute in a human being than the love of his neighbour
as himself, but is the effort to do so always well
channeled?
I
totally agree that to offer children overseas the
opportunity for medical care and education in the United
Kingdom is wonderful, but teachers in Belarus have told me
that children who have been abroad and have experienced
the sort of luxury that they may never have again, become
very discontented in schools on their return and can take
a long time to settle. So I respectfully advise all those
whose hearts are for helping that they first think long
and hard before travelling on a journey which might be of
little benefit to the child as an individual or to the
country as a whole.
This
visit to Belarus was mainly focused on a
kindergarten and a school for art and music. We
were fortunate in having supporters that allowed
us to begin the refurbishment of the kindergarten
playground, provide desk top toys for the
children, organize a music festival and provide
other smaller bits and pieces. As always I came
back with a wish list and maybe Tag readers can
assist. We did need 12 violin bows but have now
reduced this to 4. We also need pink dance
slippers for the girls you see in the photograph.
Only black can be purchased in Belarus.
I
could ramble at length about Belarus because I
adore the country and its people and possibly in
the future Tag Teacher might allow me the
opportunity to relate further experiences. I will,
however, leave you with one thought. The painting
"The Music of the Sea" was painted by a
12 year old and for me this epitomises the
standards being achieved in all facets of
education. The child was good, of course, but not
an exception but then again wouldn't we expect
such standards in art, music, drama, dancing,
sculpture et al if our children had tuition for 13
hours a week.
Let
me again thank Tag Teacher. The affiliation and
involvement has allowed us to not only distribute
supplies to many more children but it has freed
finances to permit such projects as those
mentioned above.
