The Ministry of Education is considering introducing a vacation music camp to all educational districts across the country from next year, according to Minister in the Ministry of Education Lisa Morris-Julian.
The decision has been made due to the success of the pilot project done under the Laventille Morvant School Improvement Project.
Speaking to Guardian Media after a graduation ceremony for some 70 students who participated in the camp on Wednesday, Morris-Julian said when she entered the ministry, she pushed for more Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) to be included in the curriculum.
“I have a VAPA background, so I felt very strongly to help with discipline and concentration, that the VAPA aspect would help. From this September, we will be doing things in-person so we are hoping as it goes on it will expand from there,” Morris-Julian said.
The project targeted students from the St Barb’s Government Primary School, Morvant Laventille Secondary School and the Success Laventille Secondary School.
Morris-Julian said she was very impressed by their dedication to the programme.
“Some of these children did not even touch a steelpan before last month and they are doing really well, so we are really proud of them,” she said.
She said there was an intervention aspect to the programme, which allowed guidance officers, school social workers and tutors to work with the students during the programme.
Morris-Julian said she hoped these students will have a positive impact on their community.
“The students, together with their teachers, have worked towards this musical showcase because they are the ambassadors for change, they and others are the ones to possibly regenerate their communities, rebuild their school profiles with time,” she said.
Morris-Julian said the project had a $5 million budget and while she did not know its exact cost, she was sure the budget was not exhausted. She appealed to citizens to stop viewing students from the community negatively.
“There are so many negative stereotypes, and what you are seeing here is children who are really enjoying themselves and who want to do better and who want to make everyone proud,” Morris-Julian said.