Dear Editor,
As an ex-hinterland student who benefited immensely from being able to further my studies at a secondary institution in Georgetown, via a hinterland scholarship, I would like to offer congratulations to the government for providing a state-of-the-art dormitory for the hinterland scholarship students. It is definitely a step in the right direction and should go a very long way towards improving the academic performances of these students. It was also pleasing to note that the dormitory has a state-of-the-art internet facility which means that these students will be exposed to the most up-to-date technology and information which would enable them to be well rounded, knowledge wise, by the time they return home to serve their communities. It is only hoped that there are also adequate entertainment facilities such as playfields, musical instruments, etc, since many of these students are also naturally gifted in many fields but usually do not have any avenue to display their abilities. The Hinterland Scholarship Programme has definitely come a long way.
It is also hoped that the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs would use this unique opportunity, where the most brilliant young hinterland minds are all housed together, to promote the survival of their culture and practices. Too often when these students leave their homeland and come to the city their culture is forgotten. The ministry should ensure that this does not happen and should use all avenues to promote the survival of the many cultures that will coexist in this dormitory. They should, from time to time, let village elders visit the dormitory and pass on traditional practices to these students. They should promote an environment of cultural sharing between these students so that there would be mutual respect and understanding of all the tribes. Speaking in the various languages should be encouraged and the students should even be allowed to learn other languages. In this way it would help to preserve the local languages which are fast disappearing among the younger generation. Another very important part of this cultural preservation is to ensure that these students continue to eat their traditional foods. They should be allowed meals that include farine, cassava bread, pepperpot, etc. With the easy access to the hinterland areas, such foods should be easily accessible.
With an eye on the future, these students should also be exposed to organizations that are involved in activities near to their homelands. These include the environmental groups such as CI and Iwokrama, government agencies responsible for mining and forestry and other such organizations. These groups should be allowed to arrange training programmes and interact with the students. After all, these are the most brilliant minds and most would eventually be employed, in some form or the other, with these organizations. They should be groomed early and the special ones identified from an early stage with the aim of these organizations providing scholarships for further education.
However, the ultimate aim of our government should be to one day provide the quality of education that is still only at present available on the coastland to the hinterland locations. They have already made major strides in this direction with secondary schools at a number of hinterland locations. Some of these schools are already providing students that are on par in excellence, or even surpassing, the top students of the Hinterland Scholarship Programme. It is time the government considers setting up sixth forms at some of these schools. An example of recent excellence is St Ignatius Secondary School in the Rupununi, where CXC passes were around 75% and a number of these students met A Level and university requirements. However, owing to a lack of financial resources very few would be able to further their education.
There is a common saying, “There is no place like home,” and it is hoped that one day there will no longer be need for a hinterland students’ dormitory in Georgetown, since there will be institutions in the hinterland on par with our prestige schools such as Queen’s College, Bishops’ High, et al. There is no doubt that if our students are provided with such institutions in the hinterland then they would much prefer to remain at home to further their education. There is also little doubt that if such high quality institutions become available to students in the hinterland, that their academic achievements will be on par with the best of the coastland.
In the meantime it is hoped that these students use this facility well and that one day the graduates would not only be top academic performers, but will also return to their homelands with their culture intact and a better appreciation of their fellow Indigenous people.
Yours faithfully,
M Abraham
