By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
HOPE, EAST COAST DEMERARA — In observance of Education Month 2026, celebrated under the theme “From Classrooms to Communities, Education Transforms Lives,” HGP Nightly News spotlighted veteran educator Pamela Vaughn, who has dedicated nearly a decade to the teaching profession.
An English Language and English Literature teacher at Hope Secondary School on the East Coast of Demerara, Vaughn says that despite ongoing national conversations regarding teachers’ financial compensation, her ultimate reward remains seeing her students excel holistically and achieve Grade One passes at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.
Answering the Calling: From Commercial Banking to the Classroom
Hailing from the village of Enmore, East Coast Demerara, Vaughn initially started her working career outside the education sector before embracing her pedagogical calling:
- Finding the Vocation: Having developed a passion for public speaking and literacy early through reading lessons at Sunday school, Vaughn briefly worked as a clerk at Citizens Bank Guyana. Recognizing her desire to work directly with young people, she transitioned out of the corporate banking environment.
- Teacher Training at CPCE: She enrolled at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) to complete her professional teacher training certification.
- Nine-Year Career Track: Following graduation, she completed her initial year of teaching at Ascension Secondary School in West Ruimveldt, Georgetown. She was subsequently transferred to Hope Secondary School, where she has served for the past eight years.
“Teaching found me rather than I finding it,” Vaughn shared. “I was always tasked with reading lessons at Sunday school, and because I love people and have so much to share, I got into teaching. When I got into teaching, it was never for the money. I love young people, and I figured that teaching would be the only job that would allow me to work with them and make a meaningful difference in their lives.”
Exceptional Academic Benchmarks: Perfect CSEC Pass Rates
Vaughn’s instructional dedication has translated into outstanding empirical results for students writing regional examinations at Hope Secondary:
- English A (Language): For three consecutive examination cycles, 100 percent of her candidates sitting CSEC English A have secured passing grades.
- English B (Literature): In 2026, marking her first academic year preparing fifth-form candidates for the CSEC English Literature examination, her cohort achieved a 100 percent pass rate.
- Drive for Academic Excellence: She consistently pushes her students to target Grade One profiles, teaching them to master the linguistic, analytical, and communicative dimensions of the English language.
“To date, I can tell you I don’t regret it. The compensation for me is seeing my students succeed—having all Grade Ones, mastering the arts of language,” Vaughn emphasized. “I always tell them: ‘Do well, get the Grade Ones, and Miss is proud.’ You have to be selfless in this profession; you have to be able to give and go above and beyond. As a teacher, you are not paid for overtime, but the transformation of the student is what matters.”
