Find parents for extracurricular activities

Tahiti, August 9, 2024 – At the start of this school year marked by a reform of the school timetable, the specter of too much free time hangs over the agenda of elementary school students. In Taravao, families are taking advantage of the first Back to School Fair to try to find solutions to keep their children occupied. If there is diversity, the problems of cost and transportation do not disappear during the holidays.
 
As part of the “Back to School” exhibition, after-school centers, sports, cultural and recreational activities, about thirty exhibitors gathered at Teaputa Park in Taiarapu for two days. The first edition is a continuation of the reform of the school timetable, at the initiative of the Taiarapu-Est Municipal Government.
 
In the four cities involved, the option of having three free afternoons, five days a week was chosen. “Today, the city government has no way to take care of children after school”recognized the mayor of East Tairap City, Anthony Jamet. “The goal of this initiative is to bring together associations and service providers in one place so that parents can find the services that best meet their needs.For his first assistant in charge of education, the change amounted to “turmoil” For the family. “We are ready to support parents in putting together documents for assistance. We want CPS and state services to demonstrate the services they offer to the neediest families in order to avoid widening social disparities.”
 

Meanwhile, sports clubs have also seized the opportunity. “During the last congress, we said to ourselves that we had to adjust the training in Taravao and Pueu. We added a weekly session from 2 to 4 pm for children in Pueu who are 4 or 5 years old, not 7. It is important to encourage them to participate in sports, both girls and boys”defending Mélanie Sissoko, coach and secretary of AS Pueu Football.
 
Cultural and artistic activities are no exception. Heiana Ollivier, a drama teacher in Papeari, creates her own schedule in consultation with schools in the area, and she goes further. “When the children have time, we try to help them, because we know that the goal of our association is to develop theatrical practice in the peninsula. I have also asked the DGEE and DSFE to inform the poorest families, because we want as many children as possible to benefit from it. I am ready to intervene directly in the schools upon request, which will be able to reach more children, regardless of social class.”
 
This type of conference also allows you to discover new concepts, such as the spaces of Tiffany Di Cola and Hiro Gavaldon. “We merged our two companies together. Hiro uses board games as a learning lever for problem solving, collaboration or emotion management, while I provide daily resources by running wellbeing workshops around topics like sleep, confidence or food. These new school rhythms provide us with opportunities to work on different skills with the children.”
 

However, after-school centers are more popular than ever during all hours that parents work. “We have noticed an increase in registrations and many parents are coming to learn about the situation, panicking about the new timetable. The barriers are usually transport and cost. We can’t go beyond Tarawa because all schools close at the same time. Not everyone can afford to pay 45,000 francs a month, especially when there are several children involved”Heiana Tikare, manager of a daycare centre in central Tarawa, stressed that the centre is not far from being full.
 

“We need salons like this on the peninsula to see what exists in our area. I’m here for my 14-year-old daughter. She may not care about the reforms, but she tends to get bored after college. I work, and I want her to thrive in the activities of her choice. It’s a budget, but I’m willing to pay if he likes it.”

“We came as a delegation, with four children and two teenagers. They were able to try a variety of activities: the children loved it! Our concern was to see what we could get in Tautira to facilitate transportation and reduce costs. But no after-school center would take children from so far away… We didn’t want them to be bored after school or on their tablets all the time, so we made an appeal: we need to make things move at home!”

“Back to School” Back-to-School Fair, Friday, August 9, 9am to 5pm, and Saturday, August 10, 8am to noon, at Teaputa Park, near the Taravao Military Police. More information: Facebook Page The seat of the Taiarapu-Est commune.

Tahiti-Infos, the number one information website on Tahiti