In our society the male of the species need to take up its normal position as its leader and defender. Maintaining good command of our Language, good grades in Math, Science, and Physical Education, while empowering our population, are essential & relative to the success of a nation.

Dear Editor,

Parents, the Departments of Education, Sports and Youth, and the Churches, besides prioritizing Math and the Sciences, we need to place Physical Education in the school curriculum permanently. All institutions of learning should have paid physical instructors.

Good Science and Math results in school must be priority. The males of the specie are naturally more disposed to Math and the Sciences than their female counterparts. It has become repetitive from the mouth of male students that Math is difficult. This is effeminate influence, specifically from their teachers.

The roles of male members in our Belize society have been getting a raw deal. There are many more female movements in our country than male. There are more female teachers than males; there are now more females in high school and pursuing higher education than males. Even male-oriented programs are run and headed by females, who, I must add, do not necessarily understand that males and females need to be treated differently.

This concept is by no means insinuating gender bias. Nothing is wrong with females taking up a progressive role in society, but males need to be in an affirmative role. This is our norm. Effeminate mentalities and characteristics are dominant in Belize. We need more male teachers, and male-oriented pursuits. The testosterone, adrenaline-producing male of the species in this country has been taken for granted. Nonfeasance of pertinent laws concerning civility, and knowledge of basic human behavior, are directly responsible for many of our shortcomings.

We, our country British Honduras, at one time were ahead of our neighbors in many respects. Standards were very good, values were adhered to, and there existed the neighborly concept that prevented crime from growing in most neighborhoods. We had active sport-oriented schools and neighborhoods. If we should take up studies we would discover exactly where and why crime has taken up root in specific areas. We have become languid with our laws and subjective in attitude.

“Independence” should have offered this vital ingredient to our nation-building. We are a permissive society. (There is now a new agenda that wants us to be more permissive.) Where was the vision?
The testosterone-bearing masculine needs to bring his hormones to bear positively. After all, he is the one that produces adrenaline as a reserve to be able to do physical and labor-intensive challenges. Lack of available training in this direction is the base of our delinquent problems.

Academic standards are not enough. In many instances it is not the academic scientist that markets his inventions, but the businessman. Entrepreneurship is about running one’s own business. It is pro-active training. It is about a relationship with the community. It is discipline. Most good leaders and successful business people have a sporting background; however, credit it to natural ability or discipline, others might qualify in this concern.

Physical Education/Sports are vital disciplines for normal human interaction, especially for males. It is where character is developed, and empathy is part of good character. The discipline of sports does not differentiate between: color, race or creed. It understands the team/Christian concept. True sportsmen don’t abuse their bodies nor have “drinking” problems, because they are aware of good nutrition.

Our young need these social attributes to be inculcated in their being. P.E., as it was at one time, must have precedence within the education that we so propagandize about.

Today, in our small country especially in urban areas, we have crime at every level of society—white collar, blue collar crime, and grassroots. If everyone—every lawyer, doctor, policeman, and even politicians and men-of-the-cloth—had some sporting background in their youth, they would make better human beings.

From the ranks of sport-based individuals we will discover entrepreneurs. Empathy would open up avenues for progress. Let us, that seemingly know better, stop procrastinating. Let’s get our young men going. Let’s do it—together! It is our civic duty. Again, only a minority “privileged” young are getting opportune education. What happens to the vast majority of dropouts and underprivileged? Tell me!

Jose Perera