When 14-year-old visually-impaired School for Blind Children pupil Samuel Williams starts school at his first choice St Anthony's College tomorrow, he will have a laptop, backpack, books, stationery, uniform, shoes and other equipment thanks to St Joseph MP Terrence Deyalsingh.
The San Juan student and his mother, Alicia Modeste, received the laptop and school supplies at Deyalsingh's Mt Lambert office yesterday.
Deyalsingh said: “Samuel passed the SEA examination as one of the first visually-impaired children to do so. He and his mother are my constituents and the office of the MP made a pledge that we would supply almost everything that Samuel needs to go to school."
He added: “There was absolutely no hesitation on my personal assistant Suzette Yhip's and my part to jump in to assist because this is a success story that we have to support.
“This morning we have arrayed here his new laptop, school bags, school uniforms, all his books, everything.”
He said a DAISY (Digital Accessible Information System) book reader player, desktop computer, JAWS (Job Access With Speech) computer screen reader programme, Kurzweil scan and read software, Braille machine, scanner, were also scheduled to arrive from Miami for Williams by next week.
Deyalsingh said on behalf of all the constituents of St Joseph, they heartily congratulated the young man on his success at the Secondary Assessment Examination (SEA) and were looking forward to great things from him because the constituents and country had rallied around him.
He said all they were asking from the teen is that he repays the country's kindness by doing well in school and becoming a productive citizen of T&T.
Deyalsingh said with guidance from his mother, he was sure Williams will fulfil that promise.
Williams, who wants to be a meteorologist, thanked the MP for his generosity and the people who placed their faith in him.
He said he studied “less than normal” for his exams, since the School for Blind Children in Santa Cruz was closed in February, but noted his teacher still continued to teach him and they communicated via whatsapp and his mother gave him additional home tutoring in two-hour sessions.
Williams said he also played football and was on the T&T blind and visually-impaired cricket team.
Modeste said after the closure of the school she went to the Ministry of Education, the children were transferred to NALIS for two weeks after Easter and they allowed three children, including her son, who were scheduled to sit their exams to do them at the El Socorro South Government Primary School. She said she would play educational DVDs for Williams to learn and study.
When Deyalsingh asked him what message he had for other people like himself who may not have perfect sight and gave up on life, he replied to not give up because circumstances might happen.
When the MP was asked if equipment for the blind could be tax-exempted, he said it was not for him to make policy on the fly. He said it was something for the relevant ministry to consider and he cannot commit the Government to that at this point in time.