March 9th. used to be Baron Bliss Day, but it's now Heroes and Benefactors Day. NICH today opened an exhibit celebrating those patriots and nation builders. In anticipation of the 9yh. March observance, we dispatched a teenaged reporter, who was with us for the celebration of World Broadcasting day, to get a sample from her peers on their knowledge of some of those heroes on display today at the House of Culture. Here's a quick reminder of how some of Sarah McGaghy's fellow SJC College students answered.
Sarah McGaughey
"Who is Antonio Soberanis?"
Student
"I heard about him a little bit in the history but I don't know much."
Sarah McGaughey
"How about Gwendolyn Lizarraga?"
Student
"Think she was the one who started Gwen Lizarraga High school here in Belize."
Sarah McGaughey
"How about Julian Cho?"
Student
"No, I don't know about him."
Sarah McGaughey
"Do you know who Santiago Ricalde is?"
Student
"No I am not aware of him."
Sarah McGaughey
"Do you know who Thomas Vincent Ramos is?"
Student
"I am not aware of him also."
Sarah McGaughey
"Do you know who Cleopatra White is?"
Student
"Yes, she is a medical nurse; she has her own institute somewhere here in the city."
Sarah McGaughey
"And do you know who is Samuel Haynes?"
Student
"No, not at all."
Sarah McGaughey
"Do you know who Phillip Goldson is?"
Student
"Not at all."
Sarah McGaughey
"Do you know who George Price is?"
Student
"Yes he was the first Prime Minister of Belize."
Sarah McGaughey
"Do you know who Baron Bliss is?"
Student
"Oh yes he was a generous benefactor - somebody who donated money to Belize."
Today, Jim McFadzean joined hundreds of primary students at the House of Culture to view the informative exhibit on display, and took time out to speak with the Institute of Social And Cultural Research's Director about the state of Belizean history being taught in schools. Encalada says he wasn't surprised at the number of students who got it so wrong.
Nigel Encalada, Director - Instutute of Social & Cultural Research
"I wasn't surprised simply because I do know some of the work we have been doing, we are trying to retrieve, look at the state of teaching of Belizean history and social studies in Belizean school through ISCR. A lot of the things we are finding is that most secondary - at least at that level - do not teach Belizean history and the schools that do teach Belizean history, some of the teachers are not trained in any history, they are just given a particular subject to teach as an addition to their primary responsibility. And then of course there is the problem of what text book to use, where to go for resources and some schools just don't give it the attention that I think we should give it, in terms of promoting our own culture, our history, our people and all those things that go along with developing a nation, you know?"
Jim McFadzean
"Now, you had quite a few primary students flowing in and out of this exhibition today, how useful is this exhibition for these students?"
Nigel Encalada, Director - Instutute of Social & Cultural Research
"Well, I think it's a starting point. It's useful in that it exposes them through imagery in other forms to some of the things we like them to know about Belize. Especially to know about our heroes, but it's only one step. People have been giving feedback on it and there are many ideas on how to address the current generation in terms of education. Perhaps looking at videos, documentary, movies, but to look at the lives of our heroes, but it's only one of the many measures we will have to take in an effort to have to try and revive our history."
The exhibit will run for the entire month of March at the House of Culture, and is opened to the public.
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