Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/2588/-1/133/
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HEARTICALLY YOURS: Omololu by Ijahnya Christian
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It must be a very special institution that chooses a name which means, “Children are the Summit of Achievement” and, in its eleven years of existence, the graduates of the Teacher Gloria Omololu Institute have demonstrated just that. The Institute was named after the late Teacher Gloria Banks-Harrigan and according to its founder, Dr. Oluwakemi Linda Banks, ‘the word “Institute” has been used to embrace the total concept of education for life, as the institute plans to provide educational opportunities to people at all stages of development.’
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Ijahnya Christian
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I interpret this to mean that as adults, we too can look forward to having our own learning and skills enhanced by programmes that will be offered by the Institute in the future. To cite Dr. Banks further, “The curriculum of the institute is directed towards the holistic development of the child through a sound core curriculum, multicultural education (including our cultural history as African Caribbean people), foreign languages, and the creative and performing arts, all in a safe, nurturing and stimulating environment. Parental and community involvement are critical components of the educational institute at all levels.”
This holistic, child-centredness teaches children how to internalize the values important for their own healthy self-esteem and development as well as how to relate to the people around them and to the world. The Institute also forged ahead of mainstream social development in Anguilla in its recognition of the island’s social and cultural diversity and has facilitated extra opportunities for learning about diversity by encouraging its students and its teachers to share their cultural observances with their peers. Over time, what has struck me about the Institute is its responsiveness to participate in community cultural and environmental activities, helped in part by its small size and ability to make quick decisions unencumbered by layers of bureaucracy. When I once visited the school during Black History Month, what I saw there was the human family existing in harmony with young children learning to appreciate the tapestry of unity in diversity that describes the human race. Since the world is so far removed from this ideal, I do not jest when I say that if the TGOI were to be used as a model for education systems globally, that would be a more effective weapon against terrorism than any of the responses being applied by world governments today.
The effort that the TGOI has made to remain inclusive is also to be commended because education is expensive. However, if the available options lead to exclusivity then we will see the beginnings of race and class divisions in education that have never existed here and that would be most unfortunate, especially for an island with a history like ours. One parent who views the school as an integral part of the wider community, would like to see every private sector employer of parents, offer at least one scholarship for a child to attend the Teacher Gloria Omololu Institute. For the parent with more than one child, the cost of schooling could be halved, or for those with one child, the employer who would like to support two parents can offer half-scholarships. Employers may have to establish criteria for eligibility or a system of random parent selection but I think this is a brilliant idea, providing a powerful incentive for worker loyalty and performance, which in turn benefits the business. The bonus, which I can speak of from personal experience, is the immense satisfaction gained by sponsoring a child and watching that child excel academically and socially to become a well-rounded student at the Teacher Gloria Omololu Institute.
Another area in which I think we can all learn from the TGOI is the area of conflict resolution. The Institute’s brochure describes its approach like this: ‘Children are taught constructive ways of resolving conflicts which result in “win-win” situations. They are invited to talk about the challenge, how they have dealt with it, and how they could have dealt with it differently so that it would not have escalated. Apologies are exchanged, as well as commitments to do things differently. They are then asked to talk about things they appreciate about each other. This is easier or more difficult depending on the emotions involved, but usually children are able to walk away after having embraced each other, feeling better about the relationship. The resolution sometimes involves negotiation, compromise, or further individual, class or family consultations. Remarkable behavioural changes have been noted in children who had been taught to “defend” themselves, either in the home or at previous schools.’
Such an approach takes time and it is time well spent as the outcomes show. I am not sure that we have yet identified the necessary resources for pastoral care in the public system to enable that focused response on the individual child. By extension, the resources may not be available to the parents or within the community and so school for many of our children is a battleground where they have to fend for themselves at the risk of suspension when fights ensue because they are unable to manage the inevitable conflict. Not so at Omololu.
During a recent discussion on Education in Anguilla, I learned that the level of assistance given to the Institute by the Government of Anguilla is relatively high in relation to how far the education dollar can be stretched. I was therefore most heartened to learn via the news that further assistance from the Government will be forthcoming in the form of land pledged for the Institute to establish a permanent home. It is expected that new educational initiatives will be taken as Anguilla develops but Omololu is not just about the curriculum. It is about the love and care and environment in which that curriculum is delivered. The new development plan must therefore find a way to award the Institute’s teachers for the personal sacrifice made in commitment to something that brought other kinds of reward. Again private sector support is urged – either sponsor a child or pay a salary. At the end of the day, this is not about the government or the private sector whose support enables the Institute to improve its thrust for sustainability; this is not about Dr. Banks, her well-wishers or detractors; it is about the children of Anguilla, the quality of their present, and the hope for this country’s future.