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| Wednesday, 29 September 2004 |
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Give back their childhood Ground realities by Tharuka Dissanaike
I recently heard of this young child who travels two hours everyday to get to school. A prestigious Colombo school, naturally. Fortunately his parents are wealthy enough to afford a car and driver dedicated to the task of schooling the child. Just seven years old, he sleeps in the car every morning. After school is over, it is not a straight drive home either. There are tuition classes practically daily and when he finally arrives home it is past six. Just enough time to wash and do homework. What a tragic thing to happen to a seven-year-old. Or so I thought. But many other people did not share this view. "It is worth the effort. The child has a good school, and that is everything. Travelling time is but a small sacrifice for a quality education." But is it really? Even our Prime Minister admonished young children last week, not to become book worms. He was not criticizing the reading habit, in case you misunderstood. But he meant, children should not be confined to books and studies. They should do extra activities. Yes. That is true. But for today's child, even his extra curricular activities are highly organized and structured. Swimming from 2-4 pm. Music every Sunday morning Chess lessons every Friday etc etc.. For most parents, the reason for letting children do extra curricular activities centres on competition. Do well. Do better. Get your name on the team... Children have lost the essence of childhood. This is true all around us. Where is the time to play? To make up stories? To colour drawing books? To play house with the next door children? To make cup cakes in the sand? To play in the rain? Ask urbanized children today and they will say there is no time. They might even look at you a little perplexed. Cup cakes in the sand? What a radical idea? The President last week unveiled a National Action Plan for Children. The Plan details measures to ensure a better childhood for children all over the country.The four year plan, prepared by consulting children themselves, is estimated to cost some Rs. 14 billion to implement. The treasury, as usual, is cash short and could commit only 20 percent. While it is good to know that such a definite plan is under way that would address health, nutritional and educational needs of children, it is necessary for authorities to ponder awhile about what they really want to achieve. There are children who definitely need to be saved from child labour, war situations, malnutrition and the streets. The plan will address many of these issues directly. But what of children who have no apparent 'disadvantage'- children who have enough to eat, drink, money to school and a comfortable home but have no semblance of a happy, carefree childhood? The Action Plan should also consider these children. Children who are driven by their parents' ambitions. Children who have no free time to be creative and spontaneous. Children who are kept from innocent play due to pressures of study. Children who cannot cope with parental expectations and the prospect of 'failure' and even consider suicide at very young ages. These children also need help. The large majority of today's young children are missing out on a vital part of their life. A part that can never be resurrected or relived later. Give them back their childhood. |
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