14 June 2010 | Youth.
Children have a special place in our daily lives, in the activities of Government and in the programmes of welfare organizations.
The 1st of June is the day dedicated to the welfare of children, everywhere in the world. My family and I wish to join parents, teachers and the people of Seychelles to share this day with them.
The theme of this day, "Children preparing for the future, reflects our national theme, "Together, ready for the future". Our children are us. They are the continuation of our lives. Let us love them as we love ourselves. Children are the future and for this reason we should prepare them well. When they will become adults, they too will undertake the task of preparing the new generations for the future.
I sincerely believe that all children are born good. The reality is that the world they are born in is not always ideal for them to grow up properly. Most parents fulfill their role and start teaching their children good values at home and in so doing give them the basics for them to integrate well in the school environment later. Government and other partners in education invest the biggest portion of the national budget in their education. Other organizations and NGO’s are involved in various activities to complement their formal education, so that they are well prepared for the future.
I wish to thank all the volunteers who work in different programmes and have our children’s interest at heart. Today is a day to show our appreciation for the noble task they do in preparing our children for the future.
Each adult has their own contribution to make. By showing respect for each other, and unity, we are already making a significant contribution to our children’s civic education. Parents and teachers may be doing all they can, and the Government may be giving the best budget it possibly can, but all these will avail to nothing if the wider environment outside the home, the school are not conducive for our children to grow up in.
On Sunday night, during "˜En moman avek Prezidan", I spoke about the reforms in education. We are progressing towards a higher level of education. After we have consolidated our programme to give all children equal opportunities in education, we continue to seek a better quality education for the new generation. We are constantly seeking the best possible environment to nurture our children in their learning.
We realize that education at school is not enough. As adults, we can take certain decisions because of the experience we have lived. Today and everyday, let us think of the innocent children who cannot defend themselves.
For our children, for our future, let us always think of a safe environment, that we can all live in. It is the duty of each Seychellois citizen to work together and find a solution to the scourges in our society. Let us do it for the good of our children. We should continue to preach love but we also need to be firm where it is necessary.
I wish all children wherever they are, a happy Children’s Day on the 1st June. They are always in our prayers. We shall always give support to parents.
God bless you all.
