Planning to give back street children some childhood
by Gwen Evelyn
STREET children in this country will soon get an opportunity to recapture some of their childhood and be educated when other stakeholders decide upon a curriculum for those who use the new drop in centre at Sacred Heart Church, Main Street, Georgetown. The Ministry of Human Services and Social Security and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) began planning the programme at a seminar Monday, on educating the socially challenged. Participants at the workshop were tasked to devise strategies for the process and fashion a curriculum for the target group. Declared open by President Janet Jagan last Friday, the place in Main Street will offer children a meal, too. Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Mrs Indra Chandarpal said, at the Monday forum, that there are two categories among the targeted - those who live on the street and others who have homes but work on the streets. She challenged those taking part in the discussions to remember that both types put their lives at stake, lose their childhood and take on the responsibilities while not yet adult. "They do not acquire the skills and knowledge needed to be adults. And this lack will show up in their later adult lives with negative consequences," Chandarpal warned. She said the children need to be taught how to play again, speak properly and respect other people in society. They did not learn in a home or institution how a normal child should behave, the Minister observed. She said they also need to be introduced to forms of trade, creative activity and sports. According to her, when they are taken off the streets where they earn an income, begin going to the centre and are involved in education, there must be some incentive so that they do not feel they are wasting their time or losing money. Family and friends, as well, should be involved in helping them back into society, Minister Chandarpal urged. UNICEF Information Officer, Mr Olufemi Olugbemi renmarked that the past five years have seen a surge in activity related to street children. "Everybody seems to agree that something has to be done to improve these children's lives. But, so far, we haven't seen many agencies and individuals get up and do something about it," he commented. Olugbemi said the special necessity for street children is not being met by the formal school system which is generally too rigid in its teaching methods and uses a curriculum irrelevant to the children's requirements. An alternative is therefore necessary, he advised. Referring to a UNESCO report, Olugbemi said there are one hundred million street and working children in the world and one-third live in Latin America, five million in Africa and 40 million in Asia and the rest of the world. In most countries, funding for street children programmes is nil and they are not considered in national education policies and budget. But, in spite of these deficiencies, some communities, non-governmental organisations and governments are using innovative, cost effective ways to deal with the associated problems, the UNICEF spokesman said. He said all the efforts should start by reaching the children on the streets and, in time, the focus must be put on preventative methods. Whatever scheme is developed, it should take into consideration that street children are not an isolated social group without links to other segments of society. They are not a one-day product, a spontaneous generation. They are a moving population with newcomers joining the ranks every year and also moving from one category to the next, Olugbemi said. He said the challenge before those grappling with the task is crafting an appropriate plan for the children to discover ways of helping themselves to live and lead productive and healthy lives in their own environment, breaking down their isolation by reinforcing their coping skills and mechanisms. Olugbemi said studies have shown that street children are attracted to innovative, non-formal education during flexible hours and with truly committed teachers. They respond well to a curriculum that combines general literacy with job skills, health, hygiene, nutrition, legal and child rights, arts (such as drama, dance, music and drawing), leadership qualities and communication skills. Minister Chandarpal acknowledged the difficulty ahead which is a first for those concerned although the phenomenon is not new to Guyana. She said, though there is only a small number here compared with the rest globally, it is important to grapple with the issue now before it gets out of hand. Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Ms Gail Teixeira said those in Guyana can be absorbed into a novel, experimental programme being developed by her Ministry to teach steelband music to children, especially from depressed areas. Noting that the matter of dealing with them is not confined to the city but spans many other parts where there exists some form of economic activity, she posited that as many as possible could be re-integrated into schools or technical vocational training so that the cycle of poverty and street living can be broken. Her suggestion is that UNICEF, which has major creative programmes for street children, can probably make available documentary films that illustrate their successes and failures. 
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