Saint François D’Assise RCA and Collège de la Confiance bagged the first prize, at the primary and secondary level respectively, in the Mural Painting Competition against Gender-Based Violence, organised by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare and the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology. Winners were rewarded, today, during a prize giving ceremony held at the Hennessy Park Hotel, in Ebène.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mr Maubarakahmad Boodhun, and the Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare, Mr Narainsamy Lutchmadoo, were present.
The mural competition, held from 04 to 13 May 2022, aimed at reinforcing the information, education and communication campaigns of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare against Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
At the primary level, 42 schools participated with a team of five pupils each on the theme “Anou Grandi San Violans”. The grand winner, Saint Francois D’Assise RCA, received a cash prize of Rs 15 000, medals for the team, and a shield for the school. The second and third prize went to Bon Accueil RCA and Trois Boutiques Government School which received a cash prize of Rs 10 000 and Rs 5 000 respectively as well as medals and shields. The Special Jury Award went to Saint Pierre RCA School and Melrose Government School.
For the secondary level, entries were received from 42 colleges. The theme of the competition was “Violans; Zero Tolerans” and a team of eight students participated. A cash prize of Rs 25 000 was awarded to the grand winner, Collège de la Confiance. The second and third prize went to College du Saint Esprit Quatre Bornes and Camp de Masque State College respectively while St Mary’s West College and Belle Rose SSS received the Special Jury Award.
In his address, Mr Boodhun who intervened on behalf of the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, recalled that Government recognises that every institution should collaborate in an active and consistent way to eradicate GBV.
He further underlined the importance of art as a medium to raise awareness on GBV and insisted on the need to target young children and the youth to enable them to become individual agents of change and advocates for gender relations that are free of violence and based on equality.
He stated that schools are an important element which can bring about a change in the system. He observed that the setting up of Academies with their co-educational environments have bridged the equality gap. Furthermore, he recalled that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects are being made accessible to both boys and girls.
As for the Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mr Lutchmadoo, who spoke on behalf of Minister Kalpana Devi Koonjoo-Shah, he dwelt on the importance of arts in empowering young children to express themselves without fear. He said that mural painting is a powerful tool to engage the youth in a reflection on sensitive topics but in a recreational way.
Speaking about the campaign on GBV, he said that it is the first step to engage the youth to take a firm stance against GBV. Young adults and children can stand against violence by showing that they do not accept it through these visual reflections, he said.
