Avarua
tunes into Small Island Voice forum
by
Tara Carr
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Photo
caption: Avarua students
Wayne Robati and Temaru Quarter try out the schools newly
donated computer system as they complete their Small Islands
Voice discussion project.
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A new computer system will enable Avarua primary school students
to participate in UNESCO's Small Islands Voice Youth Internet
Forum 2003. The school is the chosen site for the launch of
the forum in the Cook Islands. The initiative is to improve
communication and discussion of issues of concern amongst youth
in the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. The coordinator
for the Small Islands Voice project, Bruce Gray also presented
the school with a CD writer, printer and scanner and several
educational programmes funded by project. The computer will
be used to post on the worldwide web the Avarua student's discussion
papers on selected issues and to respond to issues posted by
students from the other regions involved in the project.
Avarua
principal Gelling Jack says the computer is also a great tool
to assist the students with research for school projects and
the school will look into additional hours on the internet.
He says he is optimistic that students will progress from the
opportunities now available to them. While the internet provides
a wide range of tools to assist students, there is also information
that students should not have access to. Jack says he was aware
of the disadvantages of having internet access and a charge
teacher will monitor it closely.
Teacher
Nga Charlie says the students are focusing their discussion
papers on the following topics - drug abuse with the focus on
marijuana, pregnancies, literacy problems and comprehension
and noise pollution. The topics were chosen by the Avarua students
as a result of a survey of SIV Youth. Charlie says she has been
impressed with the response from the students who are also using
families and friends for ideas on the topics.
Form
1 students William Tangianau and Araitia Araitia say they were
both enjoying the opportunity to work with the Small Islands
Voice Project. Araitia says it was fun and something different.
Both have found their subject, noise pollution, slightly hard
to complete, says Araitia, especially when trying to find solutions
to the problem. Gray praises the young students and says that
Avarua is the first and only primary school to be involved in
the programme.
Gray
thanked The Computer Man's Steve Smith for making such a high
quality computer package available at a very special price.
Gray
also thanked Telecom Cook Islands (TCI) for sponsoring the internet
connection and four hours of free internet use per month.
Cook
Islands News, 05 March 2003
