There is hope for every child

Dear Editor,

As a first-year student attending a prestigious teacher training institution located in Mandeville, Manchester, i would like to encourage both high school and tertiary students to never give up on their educational opportunities, even during this coronavirus pandemic.

I attended a non-traditional secondary school in Christiana, Manchester, where I was considered an A-step student, with special needs; being classified and deprived of access to learning materials, I was not deterred.

My motivation was extrinsically derived from my father’s work ethic as a peddler of goods. He would rise on a daily basis from 7:00 am - 7:00 pm, walking countless miles, travelling by public transportation across eight parishes — Trelawny, Manchester, Clarendon, Kingston, St Ann, St Andrew, St Elizabeth, and St Thomas, thereby, gaining the name “Belty”. His consistency, and impeccable dedication, resonated with my subconsciousness, empowering me with the much-needed strength to rise above complacency.

I repeated grade nine with the intention of being promoted to a Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) class stream and worked laboriously to achieve a certificate of academic excellence and first place for two consecutive terms. This performance paved the way to enter one of the upper stream classes. My eagerness for success grew tremendously as my transparent goals seemed pellucid. My core values and discipline that developed over the years propelled me.

In fourth form I was elected to serve on the prefect body, and in fifth form head boy, and leaving my high school with 11 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects, later matriculating to Church Teachers’ College.