By Precious Mills
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Monday 3rd July 2023)- “Let the children be. Let them grow. Let them explore. Let them find themselves. I think some of us want to live vicariously through our children; we need to stop. We had our opportunities [and] now is their time.” Such was the sentiments expressed by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Lisa Pistana during an interview with this media house on Friday 30th June 2023 following the 38th Child Month March organized by the Early Childhood Development Unit.
She was quizzed on what is her message to parents on the topic of choosing careers for their children. Pistana added: “All we [as parents] are supposed to do is provide opportunities for them to discover themselves, and once they discover themselves the world is their oyster.
They’re going to grow, they’re going to develop and they’re going to succeed.” The lead up to the question by this reporter stemmed from points made on this year’s theme ‘Empowering Our Children Through STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics-Education.’ According to her: “Most of us think about education and it’s just about learning and memorizing facts. We want things to be extremely applicable and they’ll be able to relate it to world life experiences and so when you think about STEAMScience, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics, we know the science because it’s on the curriculum, we know the mathematics is on the curriculum but even in terms of technology and the arts -in particular the creative artswhether it’s visual or performing arts, those are critical aspects of a child’s development and so we want to have more of that incorporated into our curriculum and we can see… opportunities not just at the early childhood level, which is from zero so in terms of infants right up to age eight, but even as they go through primary school and high school, they must have opportunities to show their creative side and our children extremely creative and we must begin to harness that creation.” “When we think of our ministries, we now have a Creative Economy Ministry and that speaks volumes and our children are crying out because they want a way to express themselves and so we have to begin to harness it at a very young age,”
she added. She rated the march a success. “Well, the Child Month March was awesome. Clearly, the majority of our
(Right to Left)-Officials from the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union President Sydney Bridgewater and General Secretary Precious Mills seen with Teacher Donna Audain of the RL Bradshaw DayCare Centre (which is owned by the SKNT&LU) and Resource Teacher at the Early Childhood Development Unit Nadine Natta (who is also an union executive committee member) seen at the Independence Square following the Child Month March held on Friday 30th June 2023. (Spokesman Snap)
schools turned out to participate and we also saw our elementary schools observing from the sidelines. So, I would say all in all, we had an excellent turnout. (Right to Left)-Parent Sabir Rochester (mother of the two children pictured in this image), union’s General Secretary Precious Mills and President Sydney Bridgewater, administrator at the union’s R.
L. Bradshaw Day Care Centre (located at Dorset Village) as Gwenedene Pemberton (union’s Assistant General Secretary) and Resource Teacher at the Early Childhood Development Unit Nadine Natta (who is also an union executive committee member) seen at the Independence Square following the Child Month March held on Friday 30th June 2023. (Spokesman Snap) Kudos to the administration of the Early Childhood Development Unit for
organizing not just this march but a whole month of activities. We know that it took a lot but they worked extremely hard to make sure that this would come to fruition and we’re extremely grateful.” She shared that plans by the ministry to have the staff there be part of the march next year hopefully.
“We’re hoping that next year that our officers can join them. So, look towards the ministry of education closing down to join the match next year so that we can really be a part of advocating for the rights of the child and that’s the main reason why we have the march.” The Education Ministry official continued: “So we look at our children.
We see the future yes but we also have to make sure that we take care of them, that we give them the necessary care and development, not only in terms of their academic development, but in terms of their skills; their social skills in particular, you know…we’re looking forward to even bigger and better things next year. But they did an excellent job and we’re very pleased.” On the occasion of the Child Month March, scores of children from various preschools and daycare centres from around the island accompanied by teachers and other supporting staff members as well as parents, guardians other family members as well members took to the streets of Basseterre in this year’s pink tshirts which displayed the 2023 theme.
The march which kicked off at Greenlands, moved along Cayon Street and onto West Independence Square Street and ended at the inside Independence Square. The St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union-owner of this publicationsaw representation for the occasion by staff and parents from the union’s R.
L. Bradshaw Day Care Centre (located at Dorset Village) as well as including administrator Gwenedene Pemberton (union’s Assistant General Secretary), Teacher Donna Audain, as well as the union’s General Secretary Precious Mills and President Sydney Bridgewater.
The march was the curtain closer for Child Month observed in the month of June.
