Recently, MP Arends-Reyes wrote an OP which we published in Bon Dia Aruba, in which she criticized the government for using budget of the ministry of education to 'promote' cannabis. In her argument, she said that the money used for the cannabis conference could have been used for something related to education, like paying for schoolchildren's supplies or their tuition fees, or books, or something. She emphasized that money from the budget of education should be used for education... of children.
In my opinion, the cannabis conference was educational for many people and institutions, and it is a topic of extreme interest and relevance to the Aruban society. Education doesn't start and doesn't end at school, much less at primary school. Education is a life-long process, and reducing it to the formative years of primary school is a disservice to the Aruban population.
The idea that whatever budget the ministry of education has should only be used to educate children is, frankly, appalling. Adults are responsible for children's education, education also takes place outside of schools, so it follows that educating adults will translate to educating the children.
I will criticize, however, that a government-sponsored event had attendees paying Afl 100.- for entry. If the government is funding education, it shouldn't do it only for the elite, who in any case could probably afford their own education.
On this same note, we had Robert Candelaria rightfully questioning the origins of the budget for the conference, and whether the funds were used improperly. But then he does on to say that kids should be given the already failed 'just say no' lecture regarding drugs. I attached just one link for comprehensiveness, but I encourage you to do a simple google search for 'ineffectiveness of just say no campaign'. To have an MP in 2018 promoting Reagan-era failed campaigns is truly sad.
It doesn't seem like our current parliament is all that representative of the modern, cosmopolitan Aruban, one who lives and thrives online. With the current access to limitless information, it's hard to watch our representatives struggle to adapt to more hollistic and modern understandings of our health, well-being and mentality.
I'm living for the day when we have an MP promoting the use of education budget to provide the unemployed with new skills, or to begin the transition to more sustainable ways of employment for those who work in sectors which are predicted to disappear. I'm also living for the day when we think of educating our children in a way they can make smart decisions, rather than scaremongering them into doing 'what has always been done'.
