By Vishnu Bisram
US-based Guyanese Deocalli Ramnarine (nee Ramdass) celebrates 46 years as an educator; 27 of which she served in Guyana.
Born and raised in Number 62 Village, Corentyne, Ramnarine is the seventh of nine children of the late Ramdass and Narinee. Her father was one of many prominent farmers in the upper Corentyne region and her mom was a housewife.
Ramnarine started to teach at a very young age in the community as an early childhood teacher. She married Mahadeo Ramnarine and moved to Georgetown in 1981. Personal and professional challenges soon presented themselves where Ramnarine believed she had to choose between her career and raising a family. She was determined to achieve both, but she also recognised the benefits of furthering her own education. Ramnarine enrolled in the In-Service Teachers Training at Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) where she later became certified as a teacher. While teaching and attending college, she became pregnant with her first daughter, Reshma. The pressure was stressful, but she was fortunate to have the unwavering support of her husband who encouraged her to continue her studies. She knew that her faith was being tested and she reminded herself that her endurance would guide her to the right path. She also remembered her father’s encouraging advice which was to “find a way to make it work rather than quit teaching”. Within five years of relocating, Ramnarine had her second daughter, Devala, and was a certified teacher.
members of her family
She and her husband supported each other in their dreams of achieving bachelor’s degrees. He enrolled in the University of Guyana and earned his bachelor’s in Accounting; she followed suit shortly after and earned hers in Education.
Ramnarine taught in many schools in Guyana. In 1990, she became a part-time lecturer and later a full-time lecturer 1 at CPCE. She was also a part-time supervisor at the University of Guyana Faculty of Education, supervising teachers on teaching practice. At CPCE, she worked alongside other faculty lecturers as part of the Guyana Basic Education Teacher Training Project. Together, they wrote the Distance Education Teacher’s Programme for the college which was funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
In search of a better life and opportunity, Ramnarine and her family migrated to the United States in 2003 at that point, she had worked as a teacher/educator in Guyana for 27 years. She secured a teaching position with the New York City Department of Education within weeks of relocating. However, in order to gain a professional teaching license in New York state, Ramnarine needed to complete a master’s degree. Her love for the profession motivated her to make the necessary sacrifice and return to school. She rose to the challenge and taught during the day while attending college in the evening. In 2008 she graduated with a dual master’s in General and Special Education with a concentration in early childhood education.
This year, Ramnarine celebrates 46 years as a prolific educator. She has worked in both private and public schools in New York. She is currently an SI/ABA therapist and works with the Early Intervention Program in New York City as an independent contractor. She has taught thousands of children and has been a positive influence on them.
Ramnarine said she is forever grateful to three outstanding women in her life who made a difference in her teaching career: Beverly Ramnarine, a former education officer/supervisor in Region Six 6 now residing in Canada; the late Florence Sukhdeo, former lecturer at CPCE and UG; and Savitri Balbahadur, former principal of CPCE. These women were great role models and mentors and contributed to making her the person she is today. She emulated them in balancing family with professional responsibilities.
Ramnarine is proud of her achievements. She is also proud of her husband, former deputy auditor general of Guyana, and both of her daughters who learned the value of education. Reshma followed in her mother’s footsteps earning a dual master’s in the same field, and Devala has a doctorate in Pharmacy.
Despite her busy schedule, Ramnarine continues to be involved in community activities. She is currently a member of the Indo-Caribbean Federation and a member of the Council for Exceptional Children.
Teachers touch the lives of their students in many ways. They play different roles: nurturers, parents, counsellors, leaders, and role models. They are also agents of change, acting as key players who influence the struggle for equality and access to quality education. Ramnarine certainly espoused these qualities and is a woman to admire and emulate. She is to be commended for her hard work and long-lasting service in the teaching profession.
