Budding Leaders Of The Differently Abled
Being physically impaired did not stop 26-year-old Preshelta Gounder from working hard toward becoming the head girl for Lautoka School for Special Education.
Ms Gounder was inducted as the school’s head girl together with the school head boy, 22-year-old, Curtis Funbana during the annual prefects’ induction ceremony on Friday.
A total of 17 school prefects were inducted.
Among the prefects were four hearing-impaired prefects.
Ms Gounder was previously a school prefect and worked her way up to becoming a leader.
Being inducted as the head girl has paved a bright future for her to achieve more goals that she has set for herself.
“I want to become a leader but it never crossed my mind to become the head girl,” she said.
“I thank the teachers for having faith in me.”
Mr Funbana, who is a learning disability student, was delighted to be elected as the school’s head boy.
School principal, Kailash Pillay said inducting students who were differently abled was a lesson to every individual that chances must be given to children with special needs.
“This is an opportunity for special kids, they have the same abilities to become leaders like other students,” said Mr Pillay.
“We shouldn’t undermine the abilities of special students.”
Divisional Police Commander Western, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Tomu Rasalato Bulimaibau who officiated at the event highlighted to the student leaders that anyone could become a leader.
“Prefects, once you have wisdom you will become a good leader,” said SSP Bulimaibau.
“Anyone can be a leader and the world definitely needs a lot more good leaders.”
Elected environment monitors were Navneel Prasad, Jainit Chand and Abdul Naufil
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