On Thursday, May 3, the Barataria Community Council held the official opening ceremony of its Barataria Community Council Homework Centre, located at the Barataria Community Centre, Lower 6th Avenue, Barataria. The event featured Sharon Rowley, wife of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, as its keynote speaker, and Barataria / San Juan MP Dr Fuad Khan was also in attendance.
The theme for the opening was aptly named Yes You Can to demonstrate the community’s desire to empower its youth. This was embraced by the youngsters as they gustily belted out those words in song to cheers of appreciation from their parents and other guests at the grand opening.
According to June Rogers, Coordinator of the Homework Centre, “the Barataria Community Council, working with the schools in the district, decided to offer this After School Programme / Homework Centre to accommodate the needs of mainly at-risk/financially challenged students from single-parent homes.”
The Homework Centre (the first of its kind in Barataria) opened its doors on January 23, and is one of the only available safe places for most of the children—outside of their homes in the district. There they are welcomed on Tuesdays-Thursdays for assistance in the areas of homework supervision, literacy support and recreation, conducted by a group of qualified volunteers who have been in the education system at the highest levels.
The Centre also boasts a Computer Literacy Programme which is delivered by faculty and student volunteers from UTT, as the Community Council understands the need for Information Technology support for students as well as the senior members of the community
