UG graduate Paramakatoi’s Vickiola Aaron wants to inspire her community

When Vickiola Aaron stepped into the National Cultural Centre on Saturday to attend the University of Guyana’s 57th Convocation exercise, she held back a few tears as fond memories of her journey to her Bachelor’s degree in Education streamed into her mind.
One she vividly recalled was the many days when she would sit in the grass at Paramakatoi, the village of her birth, especially her final year at UG, hoping her phone and laptop would reconnect to the community’s Wi-Fi so that she could attend classes virtually.
Aaron, who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Education, majoring in mathematics, would trek an hour from her home to the Wi-Fi hub at the village. “I had to walk like an hour from my home to get to the internet place where I would sit in the grass, sometimes in the dew,” she said. “Sometimes it would be on and off and then it would slow down. Sometimes I am there trying to do my test and I would have to log in again many times, it was a challenge,” she said.
Aaron previously completed the Associate’s degree in Education programme, offered to teachers, at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), before reading for her Bachelor’s degree at UG.
She said when she started the programme two years ago, she foresaw attending classes in person and virtually; the latter would prove to be the most challenging of the two, since her family is based in the Region Eight village and she noted that attending to her family’s needs was most important. As such, she needed to balance the two.

Challenging upbringing

Aaron grew up in “a loving family” and she noted that her upbringing was filled with challenges. “My parents struggled to make ends meet, relying on subsistence farming, hunting, and fishing.”
She said despite those hardships, she cherished her childhood. “Especially the vivid memory of trekking uphill for two hours to attend Paramakatoi Nursery School at the age of four. My academic journey continued through primary school, but I truly excelled in Grade Six when I secured third place in the Common Entrance exam for my region.”
She attended the Paramakatoi Secondary School, and the daily two-hour journey home was equally demanding, she added. “Witnessing my parents’ hardships is what fuelled my determination to become self-reliant and support them,” she said.

Moving to the city
Her brother Lennox would later place his little sister at the forefront of the family’s priorities and facilitated her transfer to attend school at the Apex Academy on the East Coast of Demerara. At the time, Aaron was in Grade 10. “This transition was emotionally challenging, but I persevered and excelled, eventually ranking among the top ten students,” she said.

Living in the city is no easy task and as such she sought employment; she would later work for Air Services Limited at Ogle. Then, she realised that her calling was to give back to her village even as she enhanced her qualifications.
She was then employed by the Ministry of Education as a Temporary Qualified Teacher at Paramakatoi Secondary School. “Special thanks to the inspiration and support of Miss Odessa Paul, our District Officer and our very own Michael McGarrell from Region Eight, who constantly motivated me to press forward and encouraged me to grab every opportunity as it comes,” she added.
Aaron can be described as an all-rounder. She ventured into pageantry, winning the title of “Miss Potaro-Siparuni 2013” and she represented her region at the national level at the Miss Indigenous Heritage pageant that year.

Teaching full-time
After completing the Associate’s degree in Education programme at CPCE where she majored in mathematics, Aaron said she reached a turning point in her life. “Despite never dreaming of becoming a teacher, I fell in love with teaching while interacting with diverse students. After completing my studies in 2018, I returned to Paramakatoi, shouldering the responsibilities of my family,” she said.
In 2020, she managed to build her own home in the village, and according to Aaron, “I achieved independence.”
She would then serve the village for three years before embarking on a Bachelor’s degree journey. She said several factors motivated her prior to and while attending UG. “The lack of resource persons in my community and below-average CSEC performance motivated me to make a positive change.”
She said she was awarded a scholarship by Mr and Mrs Harris to attend university, a gesture she described as very generous. “I continued my tertiary education, tackling challenges with unwavering determination.”
Aaron said her time at UG was a combination of late-night assignments, emotional moments, and personal transformation. During the time she attended classes in person, she found support from friends who became her extended family. “I adapted to a new life and overcame numerous obstacles,” she said.
Aaron is very passionate about her roots, and she noted that during her time at university, she also completed short courses with Indigenous organisations, and obtained certificates as she accomplished those feats. “Beyond teaching, I found the courage to be a voice for my Indigenous community, where few vocal leaders existed,” she said.
“My journey has been far from smooth, but I’ve learned to navigate its challenges,” she said of her time at UG. “My message to aspiring young individuals is to never give up on their dreams, regardless of the difficulties they encounter. Today, I proudly hold a BSc in Education, am a mother, a sibling, and a teacher. I strive to make my community and region better, and as a youth leader, I hope to inspire more vocal leaders and everyone within my community,” the ambitious Aaron said.