After 34 years of inspiring young minds, beloved teacher Nazrudeen Baksh bid his students a heartwrenching farewell during Debe Secondary School’s graduation last Friday.
The ceremony, titled Oceans of Opportunities, unfolded in the school’s auditorium beneath an overcast sky. Yet, the weather couldn’t dampen the graduates’ spirits, as they joyfully took their seats, ready to embrace the future with hope and enthusiasm.
Delivering greetings, principal Romeo Gunness paid tribute to Baksh, lauding him for his passion and dedication to the school over the years. He said Baksh also taught at Barrackpore West Secondary and Rio Claro Secondary where he devoted his love and personal time to helping poor children.
“Nazrudeen is well-known for his exceptional human relations skills, speed, efficiency, and his capacity to serve beyond the call of duty. He was an all-rounder, skilfully repairing and building bookshelves and cupboards, redesigning the Tech Ed room, and reinventing spaces. A true and dependable friend and coworker, he did this with a compassionate and generous spirit,” Gunness recalled.
He noted that Baksh’s jovial spirit and good humour characterised his work ethic.
“While his jokes were quirky, they often fuelled our spirits to complete a hard day’s work. From him, we learned to stop and recognise our coworkers, friends, and peers as one body with a common mission.”
Valedictorian Summer-Lee Lashley urged her peers to hold onto the values they learned at Debe Secondary School.
She recalled their long nights of study and how everyone worked together to help one another.
Chairman of the local school board, Ken Emrith, praised the principal for his leadership in making Debe Secondary one of the top schools in South Trinidad. Emrith said the school was in high demand for transfers and placements and was regarded as a first-choice school by many.
Meanwhile, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal who also delivered greetings encouraged the graduates to seize their opportunities and believe in themselves. He emphasised the importance of self-confidence and urged them to uphold the values of integrity and morality instilled at Debe Secondary.
Feature speaker Justice Robin Mohammed echoed Dr Moonilal’s sentiments, reminding students never to compromise their integrity as they enter a new stage of their lives.
Merit awards and special awards were given to top students. Sharona Dinoo received a special award for outstanding academic performance in CSEC 2023 while Akella Victor earned an award for top student in CAPE 2023. Top achievers Abiah Alleyne, Jenna Boxill, Naiomi Mohammed, Aneela Lackpath, and Alyssa Lee-Charles all received special awards for outstanding academic achievements.
The principal’s cup went to Anant Kissoondath, of Upper Six.