I WISH TO COMMEND the excellent performance of the 13 people from the National United Society of the Blind and the Barbados Association for the Blind and the Deaf who gained success in this year’s CXC examinations.
Their academic results are not only most encouraging but have also created history in the outstanding grades achieved. These people deserve the success they have earned and in doing so have provided themselves with the necessary academic qualifications for the job market.
They would, as well, have attained the moral satisfaction that, even with their disabilities, they can achieve academic excellence. It is hoped that having been motivated and rewarded, they will be able to gain higher levels of certification in the future.
Congratulations must also be extended to the tutors for their hard work and commitment. Without their professional and able tutelage, as well as their acceptance of the training to deliver an entirely novel approach to teaching, the admirable results of their students would not have been possible.
However, lest we forget, much praise and credit for initiating the academic training for the visually impaired should be given to the untiring efforts and foresight of the late Dorien Pile, who recently passed on. She served on the executive of the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired for over 30 years as president, secretary and director.
As an ardent enthusiast for improving the lot of the disadvantaged and for providing them with the necessary educational opportunities, she served as chairman of the education committee of the association and was instrumental in approaching the Ministry of Education for the necessary approval and assistance for members of the association to qualify for entrance to CXC programmes.
This entailed putting a structure in place, a task which she pursued with determination and commitment.
With the assistance of the Caribbean Council for the Blind and the donation of 15 computers by this organisation, she initiated the establishment of a computer laboratory for the blind in 2004, thus creating a record for Barbados of being the first in the region to establish such.
In her pursuit to implement training for the teachers of the visually impaired, she was instrumental in organising two regional training sessions in Barbados and invited participants from other Caribbean countries.
To further improve the quality of training, Dorien Pile organised a programme for tutors with Caribbean Solutions Inc. – a company that certifies individuals for Microsoft Word training.
Her last contribution to the association in order to complete the refining of the quality and delivery of CXC options took the form of collaborating with the Barbados Institute of Management and Productivity to train tutors in Microsoft Excel. This training was successfully completed in June this year.
A fact that may not be well known is that Dorien played a significant role in the early academic life of our first female President of the Senate, Kerry-Ann Ifill.
She laid the foundation for Kerry-Ann’s easy access and assimilation into Combermere School by arranging for the provision of textbooks and maps in Braille and by obtaining the approval of CXC for examination papers to be written in Braille especially for Kerry-Ann. Thus history was created for the first visually impaired student in Barbados to successfully acquire CXC certificates.
Dorien Pile is truly to be lauded for her outstanding contribution to the education of the visually impaired in Barbados. It is hoped that even in her death, she will continue to be an inspiration to many and will long live in the hearts of those she has influenced.
Lest we forget, let us honour her memory by giving God thanks for her life and tremendous effort to improve the lot of the blind and visually impaired. May they continue to gain the success she desired for them.
– PAMELA HINKSON