Seventeen-year-old Afeefa Ally has shown that a disability does not have to stand in the way of academic excellence, as she earned seven Grade Ones and three Grade Twos in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations despite being completely blind.
Hailing from Corriverton, she attended Skeldon Line Path Secondary School, wrote 10 subjects and said she was particularly proud of her performances in Accounts, English A, English B and Mathematics.
In an interview with Kiskadee Watch, she shared that her results are the product of years of consistent preparation rather than last-minute studying. “Preparing for CSEC started way before Form Five,” she said, explaining that her preparation began as early as First Form, when she started building the foundation of what she needed for the exams.
“I studied very consistently, so when the CSEC approached, I didn’t have to do a lot of studying with notes. I mostly did past papers and studied only a little notes,” she said, adding that she made a conscious effort to avoid burnout and took regular breaks.
The results, she said, have given her greater confidence in her abilities and reinforced the belief that determination can overcome difficult circumstances. “It proves to me that I can do what I put my mind to. And it’s a stepping stone for my future. It also gives me a little more confidence that my efforts are not in vain,” she expressed.
Ally’s family discovered that she was visually impaired when she was a baby and from then, they had to find ways to help her develop the independence necessary to navigate school and everyday life. She listed mobility as one of her greatest challenges, particularly when travelling through unfamiliar places. “It’s a little difficult for me to move from one place to another, especially in strange areas,” she said.
One of the biggest challenges at school was accessing classroom notes but her grandmother, Nazra Appalsamy, provided loving assistance with this. “My grandmother sat with me in class and got the notes for me and we studied and revised them when we got back home,” she shared. Her classmates and teachers also played an important role, particularly in helping her around the school environment.
There were moments when the challenges became discouraging, Ally recalled, but certain support measures provided through the Ministry of Education helped her continue.
Family’s sacrifices
For Ally’s mother, Afsana, the examination results represented much more than grades. She said the family made significant sacrifices to ensure that Afeefa had the support and opportunities necessary to pursue her education. “As a family, we had to make many sacrifices to ensure that Afeefa had the opportunities and support she needed,” Afsana said, explaining that her daughter required additional assistance with schoolwork, travelling, accessing learning materials and preparing for examinations.
“It required a lot of time, patience and commitment from everyone,” she said, singling out Afeefa’s grandmother for her exceptional contribution. “I must especially acknowledge her grandmother, Nazra, who played a tremendous role in supporting her. Her love, sacrifices, encouragement and presence throughout this journey meant so much to Afeefa and to our entire family,” Afsana said.
She described herself as “extremely grateful and proud”, saying the moment she saw Afeefa’s results was emotional because she understood the effort required to achieve them. “When I saw her results, it was an emotional moment because I knew what it took for her to get there,” she said.
Afsana believes Afeefa’s success demonstrates the importance of providing students with disabilities with the resources and opportunities they need to excel. “Schools need to recognise that students with disabilities are capable of achieving at a very high level when they are given the appropriate support and opportunities,” she said.
She is calling for schools to become more inclusive, with accessible learning materials, technology and facilities, while teachers should receive adequate training to understand and respond to the different needs of students with disabilities.
Looking ahead
Afeefa shared that her CSEC achievement is not an endpoint but a foundation for the future. She is encouraging other students facing challenges not to allow setbacks to determine what they believe they can accomplish. “Remember that the sky is the limit,” she said. “Also celebrate small victories because it will give you a confidence boost to keep going.”
She also pointed to the opportunities available to young people today, noting that students now have access to resources and possibilities that previous generations did not.
Discussion