Students of Fancy Government School learning things Garifuna

Fancy Government School has been recognised as one of, if not the only primary school that teaches the Garifuna language as a subject.

Students of the school are featured in the month of September on the 2025 calendar of the St Vincent Electricity Company Limited (VINLEC).

Speaking with SEARCHLIGHT at the launch of the calendar on Friday, December 20,2024, principal of the Fancy Government School, Wendy Child, shared that they teach the language every morning during general assembly; that way, everyone in the school will learn it and go at the same pace.

The students have learnt to sing the National Anthem in the Garifuna language, greetings, numbers, as well as Garifuna songs.

“… teachers are [also] learning, and as they learn it, they’ll pass it on to the children,” the principal remarked.

Child added that the teachers also take part in online classes about the Garifuna language which they can then transfer to the students who are usually excited to learn about their ancestors.

“Because it is new and it is something we keep telling them belongs to them, so they do embrace it and they are proud to learn it whenever it is being taught.”

Another teacher at the school also learned the basics of the Garifuna language through online classes and has been given the responsibility of teaching it to different classes.

Child was thankful to Evelyn Hoyte, a Fancy villager, who helped to kick-start the initiative of promoting the language in the school. The principal explained that Hoyte, through Fancy Roots- a Garifuna group, made an open call to persons interested in learning the language online with James Lavelle, who has done previous Garifuna language and dancing sessions in SVG.

“I got interested and indicated to her that I would like to join the classes. That’s how I became a part of the classes…James teaches by songs, which is easier.”

The principal admitted that at times though, she would have to go back to her notes as she does not have anyone with whom she can practice the language other than in her classes.