Government to provide more artistic opportunities

Government is committed to providing more students the opportunity to pursue their artistic dreams, said Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw yesterday at the unveiling of the latest mural at Ann Hill School.

“Educational research continues to confirm the positive role which art and the use of creative spaces play in the social, psychological and emotional development of all students, including students with special needs.

“Not only do our special needs students and those who need individualised attention benefit from exposure to the arts, but they can be furnished with skills and competencies to be able to live more independently. So exposure to art disciplines can be groomed into opportunities towards employment and entrepreneurship,” said Bradshaw at the Pine Plantation Road special needs school.

Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw (right) and artist Sheri Nicholls (third from left) presenting a smaller version of the painting to senior students at Ann Hill, Arianna Husbands (second left) and Kevon Greenidge. (Picture by Lennox Devonish)            

The unveiling was attended by Colin Deane, who represented sponsor Harris Paints, artists Kwami Hunte and Sheri Nicholls and other education officials such as Dr Roderick Rudder.

Hunte explained that it took them three weeks to complete the work on the 82-foot wall, which is now filled with colourful, surrealistic images depicting the students as astronauts and superheroes.

“I wanted to do something that would motivate the children and create that artistic atmosphere so if a child sees an achievement on the walls, they will strive to achieve, for example, when they listen to negative music, they tend to pull in that direction because that’s all they’re hearing.

In his address Rudder stressed that buildings had the ability to affect student behaviour, achievement; “so we do recognise that factors such as lighting temperature air quality, cleanliness, acoustics and colour, especially the colour of walls play very important roles in determining the attitudes, behaviours and performances”. (TG)