“MANGOES, mangoes, mangoes.”
This was the theme for the Turn Up Juniors, Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) project for the Vacation Revision Programme (VRP) at the primary school level organised by the Ministry of Education.
The VAPA project was a pilot project for the ministry and is a precursor to the launch of the Primary School Music Programme in Academic Year 2023/24.
The Ministry of Education issued a press release on Wednesday stating that 3,330 pupils from across 80 primary schools of focus across Trinidad answered the call to ‘Turn Up’ and registered for five weeks of remedial class not expecting to also walk away as budding musicians, dancers and drama enthusiasts.
Secondary School VAPA teachers in these three disciplines were engaged by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to give the students a taste of Trinidad and Tobago’s heritage using the folk song by Olive Walke, “Mangoes” as the theme.
The ministry stated that the programme sought to help pupils develop self-esteem, community pride, national identity, and patriotic principles, and engender a reverence for local culture through VAPA.
Within the five-week period, the results were tangible, as pupils and teachers fully embraced the challenge to produce showcases that demonstrated their students’ application of the technical elements of traditional folk dance, drama and music through voice and drummology, the release stated.
In some cases, volunteers from the communities in which the schools are located gave of their time and talent, in a show of altruism and community partnership.
Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said, “The MoE is on the cusp of launching a National Patriotism Policy for Schools having recognized the need to inculcate and re-instill a common national identity and patriotism. The launch of the Primary School Music Programme in Academic Year 2023/24 is also eagerly anticipated.”
Many of the teachers expressed their desire to see the programme continue, especially given its impact on the children’s self-esteem, expression and creativity, the ministry said.
