Many students are lucky not to have to worry about finances or resources needed to succeed, but some face unspeakable horrors of having to worry where their next meal will come from, how they will pay tuition, and how they will get to and from school.
(L – R) Shuntel Glasgow and her teacher – Jamain Hatton
But for far too long, many students do not get equal opportunity, and they often have to work doubly hard to earn a meagre Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) pass. This is the story of 21-year-old Shuntel Glasgow.
2020 is Shuntel’s second time sitting the CSEC exams; her first sitting was described as “horrifying.” She recalled that it was marred with the constant reminder of hunger, a nagging single-parent mother, and an absent father.
She confessed that the first she saw a picture of her father was three months ago. Such an emotional roller coaster made her first attempt at CSEC a colossal failure, but she knew she was not a failure and was determined to complete her examinations successfully.
After her first attempt, Shuntel said her mom got frustrated and stopped supporting her financially and eventually put her out of her home though she had nowhere else to go.
After months of agony, she recalled that her aunt took her as her own child and supported her through to her second sitting of the CSEC exams. Though her situation was still far from perfect, she was determined to be a testimony that no matter what you go through behind closed doors, you can always be successful if you are determined to work hard and believe in your dreams’ beauty.
At first sight of her CXC results, Shuntel WhatsApp her teacher saying;
“It’s beyond my wildest dreams what the lord is doing for me.” In subsequent celebratory posts, she said, “from egg and rice and depression to success, Jesus, you’re good oh.”
Despite all that she has gone through, Shuntel now boasts of Nine CSEC passes (Two Grade 1s, six Grade 2s, and one Grade 3). She thanked her aunt – Yonette Hamilton, and teachers Jamain Hatton and Alicia Deane, who believed in her dreams.
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- Shuntel during classes
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- Shuntel during classes
At school, Shuntel was the cook in the class cookouts, the motivator to her friends, and the all-time praying believer. Shuntel wants to be a medical technologist then a medical doctor.
