El Dorado East student registers for CSEC after going viral

A TEEN who posted a video to social media expressing his frustration about not being allowed to register for his Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, said he is now registered and is advocating for others to speak up for themselves.

On November 5, the 18-year-old student from El Dorado East Secondary School garnered widespread attention after he said he was not allowed to register due to not having parental consent, despite being a legal adult.

In the initial video, he described himself as a self-sufficient youth trying to better his future. He explained he has neither a mother nor a father. The video quickly went viral, attracting hundreds of supportive comments from social-media users.

He stressed the importance of getting his school certificate and finishing his formal education. He accused the school’s staff of being unhelpful and "moving like they don’t care."

“I know one thing we need in life is a school certificate. I say, let me finish school.”

In his latest video posted November 8, he attributed his earlier situation to a miscommunication. He refrained from discussing the specifics of the situation, saying, “Moral of the story, it was a miscommunication. I could have signed up.”

He warned others that if people do not speak up for themselves, nobody will hear them. The teen thanked viewers for their outpouring of love.

“Respect to the one who passed on the information to the higher-ups and respect to everyone who supported and reached out.”

He said it is now his turn to put in the work, ending the one-minute video on a positive note.

“It is my time to grind, to shine, do the right thing and focus on getting those passes.”

After his initial video, Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, in a WhatsApp conversation with Newsday, said no student is debarred from signing up for exams. She said students attending government schools are registered for Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams by either their parents or guardians.

She said the registration policy is strictly followed to avoid errors that could lead to extra costs. Gadsby-Dolly said, if a student misses an exam due to such an error, parents or guardians would justifiably hold the ministry accountable for not ensuring the process was properly managed.

"This young man's guardian has already made arrangements with the school to sign him up for CXC exams. The policy will be adhered to in the best interest of the student, and he will be registered in the usual way."