80 Point Fortin students get free eyeglasses

SOME 80 students from three primary schools in Point Fortin can now see clearly as they were presented with new eyeglasses on Sunday.

Students of the Fanny Village, Salazar Trace, and Cap de Ville government primary schools were given the eyeglasses at a function on Sunday at the Point Fortin Borough Corporation.

Recognising that students may be struggling with their studies because of poor vision, the Rapidfire Kidz Foundation, through its Eyes Right project, has been delivering glasses, throughout the country, to children in need.

To date, approximately 1,000 students have benefitted.

Rapidfire collaborated with Atlantic to outfit the Point Fortin students with glasses.

In an address, Rapidfire’s president, attorney Kevin Ratiram, told the gathering that despite the economic challenges being faced by most today, his foundation and Atlantic still wanted to invest in the children of the nation.

“Today, it is common knowledge that our country is in a precarious economic situation. People are losing jobs. The price of everting is increasing. Everyone is under pressure.

“But that’s not the end of it. We have just hit 500 murders in TT, and there are still two months left in the year. So, we are not just facing an economic crisis, we are facing a humanitarian crisis.

“Our culture now is that human life is no longer sacred, no longer has value. Today, to change that culture, to turn the tide, we choose to put our faith in you, our children, in the hope that you can save our nation. We invest in you, in the hope that tomorrow will be brighter than yesterday and today.”

Feature speaker, clinical psychologist, Grace Bala spoke on the issue of detecting and treating learning disabilities in children.

In her discourse she noted that many school-aged children seem to be struggling with their schoolwork, which could be for a variety of reasons.

“For example, it could be due to physical issues like a hearing or visual impairment, socio-economic problems, like lack of money or resources, mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, trauma, or neurodevelopmental issues like a learning disorder.

“Notably, specific learning disorders (SLD) are quite prevalent as a cause of children’s academic underachievement.”

While data may not be readily available for the prevalence in TT, she said an estimated five to 15 per cent of school-aged children struggle with a specific learning disorder in countries such as Brazil, Northern Ireland, and the US.

Unfortunately, she said, many cases of SLD often go undetected and unaddressed which often has a considerable negative effect on both the academic performance and daily functioning of such students.

Long-term effects can result in school drop outs, unemployment, lower incomes, as well as increased risk of psychological distress and poorer overall mental health.

“Children with learning disorders may also feel frustrated that they cannot grasp a subject despite their best efforts. Additionally, they may feel a sense of inadequacy and shame, which may lead to withdrawal or acting out behaviours.

“Learning disorders can also co-exist with emotional or behavioural disorders, such as anxiety, depression, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

“This combination of problems can make it particularly hard for a child to succeed in school. In fact, children with learning disorders have a high risk of psychological co-morbidity.”

She stressed the importance of getting a psycho-educational assessment and diagnosis to confirm a diagnosis of a SLD.