Despite challenges, young Aroaima teacher presses on

By Solomon McGarrell

Like every profession, there are speed bumps, while some are readily visible, others pop up without notice; like COVID-19 did for many but particularly teachers. Although every career path has been having its rounds of hardship, teachers were forced to find ingenious ways to keep their students occupied on virtual platforms, a task many, especially those who were not technologically savvy, had to learn.

The hardworking and passionate Kenesha Gould, is amongst scores of teachers who continue to go above and beyond. The 30-year-old was birthed in the bauxite mining town of Linden Region 10 (Upper Demerara – Upper Berbice) where she was raised in the Wisroc Housing Scheme.
If one was to guess her years of service, they would definitely be in for a shock, with only three years in the teaching profession, she displays the work ethic and devotion of a veteran teacher.
Gould related to INFO 10 during a recent interview, that while the pandemic would have posed significant challenges, her love for the job and children kept her going.

“I’m in an area where we don’t have internet,I had to be going out in the fields to carry out worksheets; text books and sometimes when you go, the journey is not that cool but I love children, I enjoy seeing the smiles on the faces of my children, especially when they can relate to what is being taught. When you help the children, is like you are helping the parents to give their children a bright future,” the zealous Teacher Kenesha related.

The vibrant 30-year-old, came from a family lineage of nurses and teachers which further added to her motivation to join the public service.
While Linden is originally deemed home, teacher Kenesha was assigned to the MapleTown (Aroaima) Primary School, in the Upper-Berbice district at the outset of her career, approximately three years ago. This brought her to tears because she had to leave her hometown and adapt to a whole new community culture, however, she took up the mantle and answered the call to move to another outlying community, where there was a need for teachers.

Kenesha said while footing the dusty unpaved roads to handout learning packages when COVID-19 hit was difficult but the ultimate challenge has now confronted her as a Grade Two teacher. “Now the real work has begun at the reopening of schools because pupils in Grade Two skipped Grade One after leaving nursery school and now have to impart the beginners skill of writing, but my patience and dedication has paid off….today was somewhat special because everyone could have written,” she noted

The dedicated educator is on a mission to better qualify herself to serve the nation’s children