Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) currently has the country’s lowest dropout rate at the primary level, which is 0.1 per cent.
However, the region’s welfare department is facing the challenges of an upsurge of violence in schools.
Only recently a teacher of Fort Wellington Secondary was attacked by a group of students assisted by an adult after he had sent a student to the Head Teacher’s office for disrespectful behaviour.
According to Senior School Welfare Officer (SSWO) of Region Five, Gloria Davidson-James, the department has been working hard to realise change.
She noted that welfare workers are responsible for many of the positive changes in the lives of some school children.
“Sometimes you have children that come to you who are suicidal; persons not caring about them and put them aside, and when you can change them after working with them socially – sometimes you overstep your boundaries and work with them academically too and have them top a school, you feel proud of what you are doing.”
Speaking of one success story, Davidson-James related the story of a child who attended a secondary school in the region.
“Everyone thought he was the worst child because he displayed certain behaviour; like substance abuse and behaviours that were unbecoming with peers and persons put him away.”
She pointed out that the welfare department was called in and the child was told to visit the office situated at Fort Wellington.
“When he came to our office, we worked with him,” Davidson-James continued.
“Not only did we work with him socially, but we worked with him emotionally and academically because we had officers calling him to study at nights and ensured that he studied, even video chatting with him.”
She explained that when the CSEC results were released the school was baffled and some teachers said it was not a child from their school; he topped the school.
According to Davidson-James, this was the experience of a student prior to the COVID-19 pandemic; emphasising that the methods used by the welfare officers to help that student to study were being used by them even before the pandemic.
“We have many more including teenage mothers who are success stories. Last year we had one who was living with her parents and she became pregnant and wanted to drop out of school but we counselled her and encouraged her. We even had a teacher who took her into her home…”
That student who became a teen mother was successful at her CSEC.
“Had she dropped out, she would not have gotten those seven subjects. She is hoping to become a teacher…”
With the recent upsurge of violence in schools, Davidson-James agreed that it is very challenging but noted that they have prepared themselves for the challenges well in advance.
“What we do in Region Five is that we work on different ideas, focusing on different behavioural patterns that children would have. That is why the numbers that we are having with children in school is so low and attendance is high.”
The region currently has the country’s lowest dropout rate of 0.1 per cent.
Overall, in Guyana, the school dropout rate is about 2.0 per cent while the Caribbean has an average school dropout rate of 20. This is according to an Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) report. That report was done in 2015.
“We look at our children’s needs, though you have the challenge you have to look at the needs. We do a lot of film festivals,” Davison said, while noting that while they have not commenced as yet for the year, the motivational videos being shown consistently along with the guidance and counselling officers in schools, help students to improve their behaviour.
“We do a lot of writing when they come for counselling. They write how they feel… That is working for us but sometimes the new behaviour challenges us and so you have to do new research.”
More exchange programmes
The senior welfare officer is suggesting that more exchange programmes be held for welfare officers so they can be exposed to different cultures in the country as well as likely behaviour patterns.
“For example, we are living on the coast and their behaviour is totally different from persons in Lethem. We have Moraikobai (an Amerindian village located in Mahaica-Berbice) we are dealing with them and reaching out to them but sometimes some traits and culture from Lethem are displayed so we need to understand those cultures. So exchange visits will help,” she explained.
Noting that persons migrate to different parts of the country, Davison said it is important for them as officers to be rounded individuals to best serve the school population.
However, she pointed out that the department in Region Five is well equipped with the needed skills as all of the officers have acquired their Master’s degree.
Improvement
There is always room for improvement, the officer told this publication.
“Sometimes the resources are not readily available. I must commend the region, which has been doing its best to provide for the needs. The real challenges are the new things that they would come up with,” Davidson-James said, referring to students.
“But as soon as they come up with them, we do research and ensure that we put systems in place so that we can eliminate them… Some people run from welfare but for us when they come, they never want to leave,” she added.
She said apart from counselling and dealing with matters in schools which include attendance, they provide care packages, guidance and have career fairs to educate children.
“For those who have behavioural issues, we see changes in them even working with them to help them to get a job. We do a whole lot of things just to motivate people,” she explained.
Honoured welfare officers
Meanwhile on Friday, Regional Education Officer of Region Five (ag) Keane Adams honoured welfare officers attached to the education department to show the pivotal role they play, especially at this point in time.
The event was part of activities in observance of social work month.
World Social Work Day was on March 21, 2023. This year’s theme was “Respecting diversity through joint social action”.
Meanwhile, during the month of April, the welfare department will be conducting community tours to get the concerns of persons that have school-aged children with the aim of developing a programme to help parents and their children.
The month will also see the department carrying out operation care campaign.
This campaign is where welfare officers go in search of children that are absent from school or do not attend school. When found, they are engaged along with parents or guardians to find out the reasons for the child’s absenteeism.
Ways are also sought to get the child reintegrated into the school system.
According to Davidson-James, in some cases, other help that is needed such as school clothing or referral for public assistance. (Andrew Carmichael)
