Nazam the gardener gets Phd

THIRTY seven years ago Nazam Shah, a 12-year-old student of the Curepe Presbyterian School was a Common Entrance failure. Now at 49, he is the principal of ASJA Boys’ College, the PRO of ASJA, a holder of a PhD from the Sherwood University of England, a Special Reserve Police Officer and a supervisor at YTEPP. Nazam, is a living example that even Common Entrance failures, once given the opportunity, can more than make a contribution to the society and excel in any chosen field.

The father of two recalled in an interview that having come from a poor family, he was forced to cut the lawns of the rich folks in Valsayn, tether cows in the pasture and be deprived of the luxuries that some of his classmates enjoyed. His failure at Common Entrance did not daunt the young Nazam whose secret wish was to become an educator and prove to his family that he could make them proud. The determined Nazam convinced his parents to allow him to attend private classes. From there it was no turning back. He joined the Police Service as a Special Reserve Police Officer and continued his education. It was a serious accident in 1977, which almost cost him his life, which led Nazam to pursue his education in Canada. His family thought that he would not make it but the determined Nazam survived the accident. He used the money derived as compensation from the accident to purchase a property at Trincity where he now resides.

Another portion of the money was spent on his education and training. He pursued his Masters in Education from the University of Mt St Vincent where he graduated with honours. He was also given a scholarship to pursue an executive diploma in leadership and management. He also holds a post as national technical supervisor of YTEPP. His involvement with young people encouraged him to pursue his PhD in education with the emphasis on youth training in Trinidad and Tobago. “I believe it was divine intervention which led me to where I am today. “I never stopped asking God to grant me my desire to be a prosperous person and to give me what I wanted genuinely,” said an exuberant Nazam. He said that he always had religion within him, and believes that the religious involvement also contributed to his success. Nazam is one of the most outspoken Public Relations Officers that ASJA has ever had. He was one of the first persons to suggest that the rural jamaats not be neglected and that the imams and their families who are in need be given the necessary financial assistance. Shah is the only principal who has the power of arrest. He has been an SRP for the past 27 years and can be considered the most qualified SRP in the country.

At his Charlieville school, he is always on the lookout for students who are bullies and troublemakers. With the assistance of the Community Police he is able to effectively manage his school and deal with the discipline of his students in an efficient manner. “I believe that being a police officer and with the combination of training, especially with the escalation of school violence I am able to effectively deal with situations that could lead to criminal charges against students.” Nazam believes that corporal punishment should be reintroduced in schools but it should be controlled. “Every child must be shown love, since not every child is capable of handling academics and teachers should be able to separate those children who can handle school work and those who will be better off pursuing something called community base which requires skilled labour,” said Nazam.

The energetic Nazam is already pursuing a programme to set up places where students can learn skills if they are not interested in pursuing academic studies. He is of the view that principals should be paid a better salary in order to assist them with their daily needs and wants. He is also firm in his beliefthat if a principal does not perform, a system should be put in place to discipline him/her accordingly. In 2001 he was appointed principal of ASJA Boys and was confirmed in the post shortly after. He is hoping to produce some scholarship winners at his school and with his training and experience is aiming at making his central-based school one of the most sought after schools for SEA students.