BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Friday 7th May 2021)-With ‘Our Federation’ being the current Social Studies topic for Grade Two students of the Irish Town Primary School, Teacher Brenda Hazel thought it best to give the children an outing in the heart of the island’s capital of Basseterre, St.Kitts on Wednesday 5th May 2021 so as to see and learn more about the various significant buildings covered in class.
This reporter spotted the field trip group along Church Street that morning while Masses House building, the headquarters of the St.Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union (SKNT&LU)-a workers’ representation organisation- was being talked about.
Notably, this media entity which is owned by the SKNT&LU is housed in that building also.
In an interview with Teacher Hazel, she highlighted: “Right now we’re doing the topic ‘Our Federation’ in Social Studies. We did the capital of St.Kitts and Nevis so we’re covering significant places in St.Kitts so we’re looking at the Independence Square, the St. George’s Anglican Church, St. Kitts-Nevis Trades & Labour Union, The Treasury, Government Headquarters, the Development Bank and now we’re going across to Basseterre Police Station [Police Headquarters].”
She jokingly told the students to be on their best behaviour for that next stop (the police station) which saw the children giggling in response as well as the reply of a male student who claimed to be a police.
When asked the importance of having children participating in such an outdoorsy activity, she shared: “It is very important because some of the children have never been to town as young as they are and so they have not been exposed to these significant places; they know that they see them but they don’t know what they mean or how important they are, and so I decided to bring them so that they could actually see them first hand not just telling them so I just wanted them to see the places and say ‘I have been here and I have seen these things’ so that is why I am bringing them out today.”
Additionally, she gave her thoughts on the importance of citizens and residents knowing such details about significant places, in general, saying: “It’s our culture so it’s very important because we can hand it down to our children, and those children can then hand it down to other children. Even so the teachers because even though they are familiar with places, they themselves would become familiar too because we don’t know everything and so if we go to a place and someone (a worker) is there, that person can explain, and we (teachers) in turn can get more information so that we can share with the children.”
Commenting on the reception of the children during the outing, Teacher Hazel commented: “They are very excited because they actually know some of the places but they didn’t know what they were called so they’re saying ‘Oh, I know this building. I’ve been with my parents there before but they didn’t know what they were called so now we’re here, they are exposed to the significance of the buildings. For example, when I took them to the Development Bank they said ‘Oh, this is where you get money’ and so I told them ‘When you get older this is where you can get a loan to go off to study’ and stuff like that.”
Tagging along on the outside classroom trip were Principal Avonelle Carey-Fraites and at least two other workers attached to the school including a traffic warden.
Irish Town Primary is located in Basseterre at Fort Thomas Road on the outskirts of Central Basseterre.