In a historic and inspiring academic achievement, Faith Grant, a young student born without the gift of sight, has triumphed in the recent CPEA exams.
Faith, a student at the Fair Hall Government School, achieved an extraordinary milestone by placing 19th among girls and 41st overall in the examination. Furthermore, she emerged as the highest-ranking student from her primary school based on the CPEA results. This exceptional performance has earned her a place at the prestigious Girls’ High School (GHS), making her what is believed to be the first blind student to attend the premier secondary institution in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Faith’s journey to success required unique testing accommodations. During the standard CPEA exam, she was assisted by someone who read the questions aloud to her. To navigate visual components, such as geometric diagrams, her assistant creatively traced the shapes and angles onto Faith’s hand or back, allowing her to conceptualize the mathematical problems. Despite these hurdles, Faith’s tremendous aptitude for math and science, along with her undeniable perseverance, paved the way for her success.
Beyond her recent exam triumph, Faith is described as a multilingual, effervescent, and voracious consumer of literature. Her consistent academic excellence was heavily recognized at her primary school graduation on June 12th, where she was awarded several prizes.
Faith’s remarkable success also highlights the visionary approach of the Fair Hall Government School. Under the leadership of Principal Miss Kid Roberts, the school has embraced a special mission of mainstreaming children with physical, developmental, and learning challenges. The dedicated teaching staff comprising both specially trained special education professionals and passionate educators who creatively adapted their teaching methods have been instrumental in nurturing Faith alongside her peers.
As Faith prepares to enter GHS, special accommodations will be required to support her continued educational journey. She is currently learning Braille, but the specialized tools necessary for her secondary education are costly. Furthermore, as high school materials introduce more complex illustrations and diagrams that are not readily available in Braille, advanced translation tools will be crucial for her to independently access her coursework.
A public appeal is now being made to the corporate community and good corporate citizens in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to reach out to Faith’s mother and provide financial support for these vital, expensive resources.
Faith’s historic transition to the Girls’ High School serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through skill, talent, and a supportive community. It truly took a “village” of parents, teachers, and school administrators to bring her to this point, and there is widespread optimism that she will continue to overcome challenges and reach even greater heights in the future.
Article written from transcript of Former MP Camilo Gonsalves Video