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It is believed that the youth festival helps the Eritrean youth (the biggest national resource), participate in reconstruction and development programs and in safeguarding Eritrea's sovereignty. It is expected that about 25,000 youth both from inside the country and abroad would participate in the Sawa festival.

In order to encourage the youth in education the NUEYS had introduced academic awards such as Zagre award and Sawa award. The Zagre award, is been given to outstanding Eritrean students in grade -XI. Whereas the Sawa award is bestowed to the youth who have completed grade -XII and who come to Eritrea from the Diaspora. In addition to this, the Sawa award also awarded to the youth who have achieved excellent academic record in different fields of specialization in the Diaspora.

In addition to the academic awards, the NUEYS conducts personality development programmes for the school children and youth in Eritrea. In addition to the personality development programs, The NUEYS conducts academic seminars frequently on important topics, including history of Eritrea that includes Italian colonization, the struggle for independence (1961-1991), the challenge of nation building and Nationalism in Eritrea for the last 14 years of independence, ethnicity, multiculturalism and diversity in Eritrea. The NUEYS is also concentrating on the young Eritreans to know about their nation's natural and geographical features, economic development, cultures and other necessary elements related to Eritrea. It is believed that these programs of NUEYS would create strong nationalistic feeling.

There is a fundamental shift from hard work to smart work. Incidentally, this idea has crept and found its place in families and educational institutions in Eritrea as well. The National Union of Eritrean Youth and Students (NUEYS) conducts some personality development and positive thinking programs. Besides, the NUEYS strives to build among the youth about their culture, identity, heritage, and history, as well as build a disciplined, self-confident, mature, and responsible youth throughout the country with the educational programs. In October 2005 Cabinet of Ministers held an extensive debate on means of implementing a national policy on youth development to compliment the huge investment that the Government of Eritrea continues to make to equip the youth with knowledge and vocational skills.

Therefore, these personality development trainers of all over the country must insist on many incredibly quicker and simpler' ways of solving problems. Positive thinking, it seems, is an all-clear formula that possesses curative power beyond comprehension. Many such life saving drugs in the form of ideas and concepts have to be available to Eritrean youth in the schools courses that promises to develop and unfold one's personality.

Parents and teachers, who are equipped with new tools for problem solving, simply offer the same to their children/students. A concerned parent on questioning, shot back stating that such smarter ways of coping with life's situations are after all defense mechanisms that are needed for their children! The indispensable tools, it seems are required to empower the children to gain insight.

At the stage when the child's affective domain requires greater attention than the cognitive skills, why is such damage done to the children? The quick fixes would only sap the child's zest to explore, taste and experience the variety and spice of life. Another striking feature that has to come to stay permanently at home and institutions is about the idea of lecturing. Bland and plain lecturing! Lecturing on values! Lack of time and unmanageable work schedules have forced busy parents to resort to quick techniques in imparting the very fundamentals required for sound living.

There are certain phrases like 1] Do not envy others, 2] Forgive those who harmed you, 3] Love even your enemies, Learn to share and 4] Keep smiling always, are often hurled mercilessly at children by the adults, without the slightest consideration on the repercussion of such preaching's. How can a child be expected to open up and accommodate the sufferings of others? Why are we keen on masking the innocent outburst of a child? Why do we want then to be 'little angels' always?

It's time the elders understand the truth, that any desirable or undesirable behaviour of an individual is the manifestation of a deep-rooted deprivation of some unfulfilled need. Just as needs serve as motives for the accomplishment of the goals, it should not be forgotten that unfulfilled needs could have devastating effect on the psyche and the personality of a child.

The wounds are raw. The cause therefore has to be ascertained. Quick fixes in the name of `social band-aid' would only rot the very roots. Parents and teachers have to grasp the simple truth from nature that, in life there are sequential stages of growth and development, each level leading to a path of greater awareness and understanding. To provide the children with enough psychological space and freedom for growth and self-expression in he education would be the first ideal step taken in the right direction.

As part of Behaviour Modelling, which is based on the social learning theory development by Albert Bandura, can be aptly followed both at home and school, in order to bring about the desired behavioural pattern, where learning is done through observation. Care should be taken by parents and teachers to see that they serve as mentors and find themselves worthy enough to be followed. Children have to be allowed to blossom naturally by providing them with the required environment for self-introspection, helping them to hear their own inner voice and to internalize those values needed to lead a meaningful life. After all, a life well lived is a successful life.

DR. RAVINDER RENA, M.A., B.Ed., LL.B., M. Phil., Ph.D., currently working as Asst. Professor of Economics, Dept. of Business and Economics, Eritrean Institute of Technology [under Ministry of Education], Mai- Nefhi, ERITREA.

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