Kemoy Blake, the technical drawing teacher at Winston Jones High School in Manchester, is used to his students achieving high passes in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination. But in his eight years at the school, this was the first time all his students scored grade ones in the subject area, with some earning distinctions.
“I am extremely proud and grateful. For me as a teacher, it is a very … moment,” he told The Gleaner, failing to find the right word. “I will always cherish this moment.”
He said a combination of consistency, practical learning, and students’ willingness to work were the key ingredients responsible for the achievement.
“We would have put things like weekend camp in place, where students would stay over the entire weekend in preparation for [CSEC]. We would have gotten support from the administration to prepare lunch for students and other stuff like that,” he said.
Blake said the class had 10 students, which included three girls. Five students obtained distinction in the subject.
The 29-year-old teacher described his profession as joyful, sharing that he also obtained a 100 per cent pass rate in building technology, which he also teaches.
And even though teaching wasn’t initially a career path he considered, the impact he has been able to make on his students over the years has been very gratifying.
“I have students who were struggling, like really struggling, and wanted to give up technical drawing, but through constant motivation and encouragement, they actually persevered,” he told The Gleaner.
Blake’s support was integral to the distinction in technical drawing that 17-year-old Dejaun Williamson earned, especially after he was initially failing the subject.
“My teacher played a very big role in supporting us the way we need emotionally, and he believes in us while we didn’t believe in ourselves,” he said.
Williamson, who lives in Cross Keys, Manchester, also passed seven other CSEC subjects with grade twos and threes – technical drawing was his only grade one. And he also credits the collaborative environment that was fostered for this.
“Sometimes in class, we give up, and he (Blake) is behind us saying, ‘Don’t give up. You can do it’. It became my favourite class,” he said.
Basking in the pride that has now enveloped his family, Williamson said he will be heading to sixth form in September and dreams of ultimately pursuing a career in architecture.
Unlike Williams, 17-year-old Rihanna Powell did technical drawing as a means of challenging herself, but she admits that there were moments it felt overwhelming.
And although she has always done well academically, ultimately achieving six CSEC subjects, her distinction in technical drawing means the most to her.
“I struggled to understand the subject, and there were many times I felt frustrated and wanted to give up. I cried a lot because I felt like I wasn’t good enough to manage it. But through all of that, Mr Blake stood by my side and kept encouraging me. He reminded me that I was capable, and that I shouldn’t worry,” she told The Gleaner.
She committed herself to practising more, asking questions to improve her understanding, and to learn from her mistakes. Eventually, Powell said, she started to gain more confidence.
While emphasising that he is proud of all of his students, Blake lauded his female students, who he said are breaking barriers in what is seen as a male-dominated subject area.
“They bring skills, creativity, and somewhat of a unique perspective to the field that allows the field to grow. Their success shows that young women that are passionate about vocational careers are not, basically, limited, and they can excel in any area they choose,” he said.
Meanwhile, Winston Jones High Principal Dr Marrie Wilson-McLaughlin said the school is “very serious about technical education and training”.
While extolling the performance of this year’s batch of students, she said the school has a tradition of excellence in these subject areas, which is facilitated by the consistency and dedication of the teachers.
“We realise that skills are important now in terms of opportunities for entrepreneurship and also employability. I want to make sure that we produce rounded students, and we realised that skills are the way to go, she said.
She noted that the school also achieved 100 per cent pass rates in electrical technology and agriculture science.
Stating that the students typically enter the institution with low numeracy and literacy Primary Exit Profile scores, she said the learning process at the school is managed very strategically to ensure that they are ready for external exams.
This involves “being practical about the coverage of the curriculum, using assessments for learning, providing adequate feedback for students, working with a network, with past papers, camps, and marathons infused in instructional practices”.
This expanded effort has resulted in the school scoring improvements in the core subjects of mathematics and English A. It achieved a pass rate of 80 per cent in English, compared with 68 per cent last year, and 35 per cent in mathematics, up from 17. 6 per cent in 2025.
A cohort of 35 students sat English this year, while 17 did the mathematics exam.
“This is steady growth in all subject areas,” she said.
sashana.small@gleanerjm.com
