Dear Editor,
On the 11th December 2021, a stalwart transitioned from this life into eternity. She was born in Sri Lanka but grew up in Malaysia. However, she made the then British Guiana her home, having gotten married to our own Dr Leslie Mootoo. I speak of none other than the late Savithiri Mootoo.
She was always dressed in her traditional sari, and endeared herself in the hearts of all those with whom she came in contact during her sojourn here on planet earth, which spanned more than nine decades! As I listened to the various tributes at her funeral service, from persons from all walks of life, I could only conclude – What an amazing woman!
She had a passion for children and was consumed by her love and fear of God and faith in Jesus Christ. This passion drove her to make numerous phone calls to whoever would listen as she pleaded… “When will we have religious education back in schools?” Those calls were countless! She herself had come to have a personal relationship with God through religious education in her school, and as the declining moral state of our society registered on her, she continued to make those calls, crying in agony…”The children need to know God! When will we have religious education back in schools?”
I’m sure as we have an honest glance backward at activities in our classrooms as compared with some of what we have seen on the internet recently, we’ll be sure to conclude that this young generation (of course with exceptions!) is crying out for moral moorings and spiritual guidance. Things (money, material resources, even education) do not satisfy the soul. They do benefit us for a time, but soon, despite all our degrees and accolades, we must lay them all down when death knocks at our door. Particularly with so many homes in crisis, the instilling of good morals in our schools via religious education will surely have a positive impact on our youths and on the nation as a whole.
Dear Minister of Education; dear Chief Education Officer, I raise my voice in support of Mrs. Mootoo’s wish and echo her sentiments – When will we have Religious Education back in schools?
As the doors of our schools re-open in 2022, albeit cautiously, I pray God’s grace and wisdom enfold those in charge of leading the Education sector and may our children sense and know their value as they embrace the love of God that protects them from dangers seen and unseen.
Happy New Year to everyone!
Yours faithfully,
Claudia Heywood
