Children celebrate Independence with rally
Every year you see them streaming into the City Centre, uniforms of every color and design, their faces full of anticipation. Their purpose for coming together? To catch some independence spirit and meet their peers from around the city, or even the other districts. News Five was at the City Centre this morning for the Children’s Rally.
The rally is designed to foster patriotism among the children, but it may also be the only time of the year when the various schools all come together under one roof. No matter what uniform they wear, everyone loves the wave… and the entertainment…
Minister of Education, Cordel Hyde acknowledged that children in Belize face some serious threats to their safety and happiness. And yet their exuberance today made him hopeful about the future.
Cordel Hyde, Minister of Education
“Belize has a lot to celebrate and be thankful for. Yes, we have our problems: unsolved crimes, abuses against our children, children are on the streets and not in school and the list goes on. But when I see young, bright and energetic children like you, I give thanks. I feel hope, hope that Belize will be a better place, that tomorrow will be better than today and the day after better than tomorrow.”
According to Faye Gillett of the Education Department, what seems like an easy event to throw together, actually takes months to plan. Traditionally only the upper division, standards four, five and six, are invited while younger children stay in their classrooms and listen to the event on radio.
Q: “Why is it that it is only the upper divisions that have been invited to the rally year after year?”
Faye Gillett, Coordinator, Children’s Rally
“Simply because of, it was thought that because of their size it is very difficult to get the middle and infant school children out on a day like this. But there was a thought of getting the middle school children out, one of these years.”
But this year it was the older children who got to star at the Children’s Rally. And star they did.
After the rally all the students including those who remained at school were given a bag of treats and the rest of the day off.
Thousands of primary school students representing thirty-nine schools in Belize City and the districts packed the City Centre to enjoy the entertainment in this September Children’s Rally held under the theme, “Celebrate Belize”.
