Close to three thousand graduands, the largest ever in the history of the University of Guyana, will proudly walk the graduation stage, both face-to-face and some virtually, over the next two weekends when the institution hosts its 56th Convocation. The Convocation ceremonies for the Turkeyen graduands will be held at the National Cultural Centre on December 9th and 10th and on December 17 at the UG Berbice Campus for the Tain graduands.
The prospect of a brighter future was not only inspired by Mr Amin Britton’s inability to see but his innate drive for success and betterment for his family.
Hailing from Region 10, Linden, Britton has beaten the odds and completed his Degree in Communication Studies, although being visually impaired.
In Mr Britton’s early years in life (age 2), he was diagnosed with glaucoma. By age 6, he had undergone several surgeries to save his sight, but unfortunately, due to financial constraints, he could not continue the treatment. This led to the gradual deterioration of his sight and by age 14 he lost his sight completely in both eyes.
An Ophthalmologist and Lecturer at the University of Guyana for approximately seven years, Dr Celeste Hinds explained: “Childhood glaucoma, also referred to as congenital glaucoma, is a rare condition that may be inherited or caused by incorrect development of the eye’s drainage system before birth. If treatment is inaccessible or inadequate, as in the case of many children, vision loss is almost certain.”
After hearing of Mr Britton’s success, Dr Hinds expressed sincere joy for his stalwart accomplishment. She expressed: “Kudos to Mr Britton for persevering despite the odds and serving as an inspiration to us all, especially those with visual disabilities.”
Despite the diagnosis, Mr Britton braved the storm and naysayers and registered at the University of Guyana in 2018. He said: “No one in my family has a University degree. The Centre for Communication Studies became like a new family to me. I approached UG expecting it to be challenging because of what was told to me, but UG exceeded my expectations. I never felt uncomfortable among my peers.”
Mr Britton will walk the graduation stage on Saturday, December 10, with joy and fulfilment as he will have crossed a major milestone in his family’s history, paving the way for generations to come.
Currently, he works as a radio announcer to educate and entertain persons on the ‘Rush Vibes’ on Massive FX Radio in Linden. His future plans include pursuing a Master’s Degree in Communications – Social Change.
In extending congratulations, the Vice-Chancellor and Senior Management Team of the University have noted that a special Unit called the Inclusion Unit which caters specifically to students with physical, learning and other challenges provides various kinds of support for a-typical students like Mr. Britton.
This year, UG’s graduation exercises will be blended with the majority of the graduands attending face-to-face and the remaining participating virtually.
(University of Guyana)
