ST MARGARET MP Pierre Dupuch believes he has a long-term cure for the attitude of many Bahamians that the world owes them a free lunch as they sit on the sidelines of life, hands outstretched, and “gimme” not far from their lips. He plans to put his theory to the test next year at Uriah McPhee Primary School in Kemp Road.
Already, as we told you in this column yesterday, Uriah McPhee introduced an after school programme on January 24 to tutor backward students. Twenty-one teachers give up their afternoons – free of charge – to help about 300 students from grades three to six. The students from grade three remain behind on Mondays and Wednesdays while students of grades four through six remain behind on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It is reported that the improvements in the childrenﾴs grades have been remarkable. They receive instructions in Mathematics and Language Arts, inclusive of oral reading, reading comprehension and grammar. Mr Dupuch is a sponsor of the pilot programme.
He now wants the children, who are growing up in an age of instant gratification, to understand that life is a series of slow steps to the top. Today’s generation wants to jump to the top rung of the ladder, expecting high salaries and offering no experience in return. Mr Dupuch hopes to show them how to start at the bottom and climb up, step by slow step, so that when they do arrive at the top, they do so with confidence, knowing that through their own efforts they have earned their rewards.
To do this he plans to take a leaf out of his father’s book of life and work through agriculture. Sir Etienne was a great believer in teaching his children through the mysteries of nature. Agriculture was his favourite teaching tool.
Mr Dupuch says his intent is not to turn the students into farmers, but to show them that from a seed, through daily nurturing a tree can be grown. And from this tree they can turn a legitimate profit. It is not accomplished overnight, but takes time, patience and daily work – as with everything in life that is worthwhile achieving.
“I want them to plant a seed, and by fertilising and daily watering watch it sprout and grow. In six months they will have a plant that they can sell to the public for $3 or $5. With this they can buy their own books, instead of going around begging for handouts. Weﾴve got to stop this gimme nonsense,” he said.
“It’s basic mental discipline that they must learn,” he said. In other words, through the daily discipline of work, duty, patience and care one can achieve rewards ﾗ the greatest being self-esteem and independence.
“Also we wish to include photography and desktop publishing to enhance projects that could be used for in house fund raising,” said Mrs Sharmaine Sinclair, one of the teachers. In other words students are learning that there is nothing more rewarding than self-help.
The teachers participating in the programme are Mrs J Poitier, Mrs M Dean, Mrs J Saunders, Mrs L Williams-Smith, Mrs M Smith, Ms J Cooper, Ms R King, Mrs C Braynen, Mrs V Micklewhyte, Mrs J Hanna, Mrs N Ramsey, Mrs C Strachan, Ms S Deal, Ms S Robinson, Mr Jevon Williams, Mrs S Rolle, Ms S Lewis, Ms J Roberts, Mrs E Young, Mrs S Timothy, and Mrs S Sinclair.
We know how after school projects can transform young people. The Tribune – and the Bahamas – lost a gem when Juanita Wells, one of our Bahamian editors, married a foreigner and had to leave the Bahamas because her husband could not work here. They made their home in Alabama.
Juanita created and produced The Tribune’s Yeah! magazine – a magazine produced for young people and by young people in the features department of The Tribune. Juanita worked with Ministry of Education teachers, and young students would pour into The Tribune after school to write their stories and help produce their tabloid newspaper. At times there were more students in The Tribune than there were staff members.
Juanita was so dedicated that she would come in on Saturdays and, with chalk and blackboard, teach her young “staff”.
When those youngsters first started their “job” they were giggling children. Their transformation was remarkable. They left sensible, confident young men and women who could conduct an intelligent interview, use the telephone with confidence, and type their articles into a computer. Some were even learning how to design and lay out pages. Their classroom teachers were amazed in the improvement in their grades.
Unfortunately, when Juanita married and left, no one was available to continue Yeah! But while it lasted it was one of the best programmes ever organised at The Tribune for young people.
Reprinted with permission from an Editorial in The Tribune Newspaper, Nassau Bahamas – May 24, 2005
