Suriname case study: Indigenous village leader becomes teacher during pandemic

This article is part of a series on the impacts of COVID-19 on indigenous and tribal peoples. The full policy report, “COVID-19 and indigenous and tribal peoples:  the impacts and underlying inequalities” which features 10 case studies, including this one, is available here.

By Caroline de Jong through the help of Carla Madsian and Muriel Fernandes

Before the pandemic, indigenous children in the interior of Suriname, South America, faced multiple education inequalities. Education in Suriname is hugely city-biased; the educational model is set up for schools and children from the capital and urban coastal region, but applied without modification to the remote schools in the interior, where indigenous and Maroon children are confronted with a language barrier (lessons and materials are in Dutch) and a curriculum that is not adapted to their local context. These have proved to be the main factors in their lagging educational success. [1] Teachers working in the interior require fewer qualifications and less training than those employed in city schools. Urban teachers are often temporarily stationed in the villages, and are not well-versed in indigenous culture and ways of learning. School buildings and classrooms are often basic, ill-equipped and poorly maintained. These inequalities have become painfully visible during the pandemic, which is putting indigenous children at greater risk of falling even more behind. 

Village leader (‘chief’) Muriel Fernandes of the Lokono village Casipora (Kashipuri) describes the impacts of COVID-19 on the education of the children in her community: 

 

"Two weeks before Easter all schools in the country had to close. Our children go to primary school in the neighbouring community, Redi Doti. For secondary school, they go to Paranam or to Paramaribo. Immediately after schools closed, WhatsApp groups for parents were created by the school staff. The teachers posted the assignments in this group and, the next day, also the correct answers to help parents go through the lessons with their children. In our village, there are many people who don’t have a smartphone and can’t use WhatsApp groups, so I joined all the groups. I noticed how far ahead pupils attending a school in the capital were, compared to pupils the same age going to the village school. We, as the village council, decided to take on the schooling of the pupils from grades 3 to 6. The school in Redi Doti, encouraged by this initiative, took on grades 1 and 2.” 

 

Distance learning was a problem. Not all children have a laptop or a smartphone with internet, and following lessons on a smartphone doesn’t work well anyway. Chief Fernandes approached Telesur, the national telecom provider, who installed a Wi-Fi device within two days. This is managed by the village Board, who give the password only to those who need it. This has made it possible to work on laptops. 

On 1 October 2020, schools will start again in adapted form. Practical vocational schools have announced that all children should have a PC, as they will physically attend school two days per week and will have to follow lessons on their computers on the remaining three days. Many parents can’t afford this; they work in the tourism sector and haven’t had an income for months. They hunt and fish for food, but still have to pay for school fees, uniforms, hand sanitiser and other hygiene products. They are supported by a village fund as much as possible. 

Muriel Fernandes says: 

 

"For other villages the challenge is even greater. Think of villages where there is no electricity, where they depend on a diesel generator, such as Pikin Saron. Children who go to school in Paranam must take the school bus. However, the bus driver does receive hand sanitiser, mouth and nose cover, gloves. What about the safety of the children? Education authorities take measures without any communication with the parents in the interior. You must have TV or radio to hear the news and to know what measures are being taken. Otherwise you don’t know.” 

 

At the same time, the crisis also offers opportunities. For years the traditional authorities have advocated for more culturally appropriate education for indigenous children, in line with their international rights. In the past months, they have encouraged parents and community members to spend time with their youth, talking and practising knowledge, language and skills related to the forest and its resources. “We did ‘official’ schoolwork every weekday, and on Saturday did practical learning work, more aligned with life in the village, such as planting”, says Muriel Fernandes. 

[1] https://www.rutufoundation.org/expertisebevordering-van-leerkrachten-in-meertaligheid-en-diversiteit-in-suriname/