Overcoming Shadows: He Swaps Broadcasting for Special Education to Empower Disabled Community
By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA – In celebration of Blindness Awareness Month, a prominent Guyanese advocate is proving that a physical setback can be transformed into a powerful stepping stone. Leroy Phillips, who has lived without sight for twenty-nine years, has officially embarked on a new academic chapter, enrolling as a full-time student at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) to pursue a career in teaching.
For Phillips—a recognized voice in local media and a trailblazer for disability rights—the move represents a calculated shift from broadcasting to the frontline of special education.
A Childhood of Resilience
Phillips’ journey began with a painful hurdle at just six years old. Unable to read the chalkboard, he was sent home by a teacher who mistook his failing vision for poor academic performance. It was a heartbreaking introduction to a system unequipped for his needs.
Remarkably, Phillips did not fully grasp the permanence of his condition until he was 11. “When I went blind, I just kept doing the things children would do—running wild in the streets and playing with friends,” he recalled.
When medical interventions could not restore his sight, his family enrolled him in the Blind Unit at the St. Rose’s High School compound. There, he made history as part of the very first cohort of visually impaired Guyanese students to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, securing passes in English, Principles of Business, Human and Social Biology, Office Administration, and Social Studies.
From Royal Laurels to the University of Guyana
Driven to further his studies, Phillips entered the University of Guyana (UG), where he successfully graduated with a Diploma in Communication Studies. His stellar advocacy and leadership within the Commonwealth community caught global attention in 2015, earning him the prestigious Queen’s Young Leader Award from the late Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.
Following his graduation, Phillips put his qualifications to work, serving as an accomplished radio producer and broadcaster at the National Communications Network (NCN), as well as the Public Relations Officer for the Guyana Blind Cricket Team.
Despite his personal successes, Phillips remains an outspoken critic of systemic shortcomings. He emphasizes that while small progress has been made, institutions like the University of Guyana must do far more to holistically accommodate and provide for the accessibility needs of students living with disabilities.
The Pivot to Special Education
Age and experience have brought a deeper sense of mission for Phillips. Stepping away from the microphone and the radio booth he deeply loves, his enrollment at CPCE is fueled by a desire to directly uplift the community that supported his own growth.
“Serving the community I have benefited tremendously from would be my ultimate achievement,” Phillips stated, noting that his training at CPCE will allow him to introduce specialized, modern teaching techniques to help blind and visually impaired children navigate the school system.
Phillips warns that for too long, Guyanese with disabilities who make meaningful contributions are “swept under the rug.” As Guyana observes Blindness Awareness Month, he is calling on society to move beyond token awareness and take definitive, legislative, and structural actions to ensure true inclusivity.
