Titchfield’s debt to ‘Mr Ram’
School community pays tribute to late former maths teacher
PORT ANTONIO, Portland — The Titchfield High School family is now celebrating the life of a stalwart of the institution, former teacher Subhas Ramkeerat, affectionately called Mr Ram, who died on January 25.
Ramkeerat was born in Guyana in 1944 and spent 19 years teaching in his home country, where he held the post of deputy headmaster and head of a Mathematics Department, before moving to Jamaica in 1982, where he taught mathematics and additional mathematics for another 23 years at Titchfield High School.
In leading the tributes, the school’s Principal Richard Thompson said Ramkeerat wielded the weapon of education to effect undeniable changes in the lives of many.
“He epitomised, in every sense of the word, what it meant to be committed. Mr Ram…lived his life giving selflessly towards that which he was passionate about, educating the nations’ children,” said Thompson.
He noted that Ramkeerat joined the Titchfield family as a trained graduate in 1982, already holding the post of table leader of the CXC examination in mathematics, a post he maintained even after his arrival in Jamaica.
According to Thompson, Ramkeerat was a true professional and a teacher to his very core, willing to go above and beyond the call of duty for his students.
“His fingerprints were embedded in several roles including senior teacher and the head of the Mathematics Department; where he was instrumental in the organisation and execution of workshops for his department, a task that he worked so assiduously at that in 1998 Titchfield High School was rated among the top three schools in mathematics, in the island,” said Thompson.
“Under his tutelage the school dominated the National Math Competition on several occasions, receiving first or second placements. He was also the head of Grade II
As we remember Mr Ramkeerat, let us remember him for the shared moments and his immense impact on education. He was loved and will be missed. Today we mourn not the life of Subhas Ramkeerat but celebrate his accomplishments and achievements
extension school, the supervisor of the HEART/NSTA Trust program at Titchfield High School and acting vice-principal in 2005.
“He was instrumental in the development and the perfecting of the manual timetabling system, a version of which we still use today.
“Mr Ram is fondly remembered by his colleagues as being a no-nonsense person; however, those who were in his department reflect warmly on the birthday parties they had at his house and the cultural exposure offered through the exotic cuisines he made for them. He loved cricket, he knew the game well and could be counted on for game updates. He especially enjoyed watching the live games at Sabina Park,” added Thompson.
The principal noted that Ramkeerat was never far removed from the Titchfield High School, as even in his latter days he took the time to keep abreast of what was happening at the school.
“As we remember Mr Ramkeerat, let us remember him for the shared moments and his immense impact on education. He was loved and will be missed. Today we mourn not the life of Subhas Ramkeerat but celebrate his accomplishments and achievements.
“We praise him for the lives he has helped to transform and thank him for his contributions to the Titchfield community, the parish of Portland and the development of education in this country. May his legacy live on and his soul rest in peace,” said Thompson.