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In this week's member article, Don McBurney of Ray of Hope talks about his recent visit to one of the beneficiaries of his charitable work and finds that despite real economic hardship, children can find a level of happiness and delight in learning rarely seen in our own schools.

For more information on Ray of Hope, click: http://www.unesco.co.uk

Dear Tag Teachers,

Karim has asked me to provide a short account of my recent visit which I have great delight in doing. So where was I? Well I was in a country, and in particular a city, where teachers are respected, children crave for knowledge, parents see the value of education and all learning and the development of the potential of children is seen as paramount. The culture and history of the people are preserved and set on a pedestal.
Art, music and dance in their many forms are as food for personal development and the discipline of the art form transfers to other aspects of the children's lives. Children delight in sharing their skills and indeed promoting the particular art form that they are interested in. Is this an educational utopia - well just maybe it is.

I was in the city of Mozyr, Belarus and a relatively short distance from the site of possibly the world's greatest catastrophe: Chernobyl. The catastrophe of Chernobyl, which affected the world, is of course in the history of Belarus but in the efforts of the people to strive for normality they have not realised that they are achieving excellence. Of course there are problems. There are few resources, and economic hardship is a feature not only in schools but throughout society. However, that can never detract from an educational milieu that works.

During my many visits to Belarus I have witnessed much and at times do wonder if maybe we haven't somehow got it wrong in the UK. I have visited prisons, orphanages, schools of all shape and size and have departed from them in awe and sometimes with tears.

On a recent visit my friend, Benjamin, left a computer school with such a sad expression on his face. The children , 10 year olds, were not only programming but taking the tops of the computers to change the microchips. Benjamin told me that these children were ahead of his Third Year students at a well known UK university.

How can an orphanage in Mozyr develop such happiness and "disciplined" confidence in children at the age of three at a level not seen in many of our schools at all? How can I walk into a school of 1000 pupils and sense the serenity and discipline of learning? Maybe it is because they do not have playstations, Kentucky Fried Chicken, trainers and large homes.

During this visit and others my mind has also raised many questions regarding the aid that is being supplied to Belarus and other countries. There is of course no greater attribute in a human being than the love of his neighbour as himself, but is the effort to do so always well channelled?

I totally agree that to offer children overseas the opportunity for medical care and education in the United Kingdom is wonderful, but teachers in Belarus have told me that children who have been abroad and have experienced the sort of luxury that they may never have again, become very discontented in schools on their return and can take a long time to settle. So I respectfully advise all those whose hearts are for helping that they first think long and hard before travelling on a journey which might be of little benefit to the child as an individual or to the country as a whole.

This visit to Belarus was mainly focused on a kindergarten and a school for art and music. We were fortunate in having supporters that allowed us to begin the refurbishment of the kindergarten playground, provide desk top toys for the children, organise a music festival and provide other smaller bits and pieces. As always I came backwith a wish list and maybe Tag readers can assist. We did need 12 violin bows but have now reduced this to 4. We also need pink dance slippers for the girls you see in the photograph. Only black can be purchased in Belarus.

I could ramble at length about Belarus because I adore the country and its people and possibly in the future Tag Teacher might allow me the opportunity to relate further experiences. I will, however, leave you with one thought. The painting "The Music of the Sea" was painted by a 12 year old and for me this epitomises the standards being achieved in all facets of education. The child was good, of course, but not an exception but then again wouldn't we expect such standards in art, music, drama, dancing, sculpture et al if our children had tuition for 13 hours a week.

Let me again thank Tag Teacher. The affiliation and involvement has allowed us to not only distribute supplies to many more children but it has freed finances to permit such projects as those mentioned above.