With domestic violence becoming widespread across the country, especially violence against women and girls peaking in recent years, a psychologist who recently earned a Masters in Science and in counselling psychology has noted that she believes self-defence should be taught in schools across the country.
This was shared by Raiza Khan during an exclusive interview with Guyana Times International on Tuesday.
According to the psychologist who has been in the field for close to two years, there is a need for self-defence to be taught, as its benefits can be multi-fold.
Khan explained, “Often times a lot of the Government organisations and a lot of the schools, what we would encourage them to do is as much psycho-social training and psycho-social programmes, something as simple as developing your sense of identity… I think that what needs to be understood is that self-defence can be helpful in terms of developing empowerment and healthy and active children just like the same reasons you would offer physical education and dance classes and track and field”.
She noted that while the Government may already have provisions for classes which may include physical health and wellbeing, what is urgent to be addressed is how children own up to uncomfortable situations which they may not necessarily be brave enough to talk about, although being encouraged to do so.
In fact, the psychologist pointed out that the classes which may very well help a child when they age, is really not intended to help fight violence with violence but rather to engage youths on understanding that you can be prepared for an assault since self-defence techniques are not only used when a person’s boyfriend or girlfriend hits them.
Important to note is that these classes, she pointed out, can also help to fight crime as many times persons are attacked and are unable to defend themselves.
Khan argued, “Self-defence is not only used against your domestic violence partner but we do have crime and women are pick-pockets and men are pick-pockets and young children are attacked on the streets, so it would more be for self-development and being able to protect yourselves from other circumstances not to be used in the case of (only) violence against women”.
She alluded to the fact that there needs to be a more holistic approach to understand where violence comes from and what the other party actually sees in the other person while trying to be possessive and how to deal with insecurities.
According to her, just as other life skills are being taught in schools such as Home Economics, classes should also be developed geared towards tackling peer pressure, depression and even mental health, as well as dealing with anxiety.
“We talk about diabetes, we talk about other forms of medical conditions but we are not talking about mental health in schools,” she posited.
The Education Ministry is presently in the process of drafting a new curriculum for schools.
The new curriculum is intended to benefit nursery, primary and secondary levels up to Grade Nine, as classes from there on utilise the Caribbean curriculum to prepare for the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC).
According to a Senior Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Brushell Blackman the new curriculum will include a number of broad areas, which he acknowledged the Ministry previously overlooked.
The new syllabus, will among other things, seek to include oil education, he posited.
Blackman added the Ministry promised not to drag their feet on the paperwork, as they are fully aware of its importance and vitality at this time.
Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson also pointed out how critical it is for the curriculum to be updated, while saying, “This process cannot be a long and drawn out process. I know curriculum writing takes time, but it cannot be forever. We don’t have all the time in the world”.
