Keisha Hayle – a true educator

SHE’S a fun-loving, committed and philanthropic teacher who is bent on bringing out the best in students under her care.

Keisha Hayle, 41, told All Woman that she was born and raised in East Kirkland Heights, St Andrew — the fourth of five children to a single mother. While she recounted the joys of her childhood, Hayle said her circumstances were far from fortunate and as a result she did her best in all her endeavours.

“I always focused on what I did best. That really mattered to me. This attitude followed me throughout life and I strived to be the best at whatever I did,” she said.

And so it was no surprise that when she started high school and the reality of being poor hit home, she swam against the tide in order to be successful.

“Many times I never had money for food. A lady sold Chinese sweets and often I would suck the one sweet for the entire day. I had one uniform and one blouse from first form to third form and it began to thread out and that’s when an uncle who helped raise me — Ceford McKenzie — bought me another one. I had to walk to school many times. My mother couldn’t really afford the fees and books, but I liked to read so I read my friends’ books most of the time in order to know the material.”

During this time, Hayle shared that she would tutor students in her community. She eventually enrolled at the University of the West Indies where she pursued a degree in psychology and political science.

Shortly afterwards, she landed a job at Red Hills Primary and Junior High, which she says really brought out her passion for teaching, and even led to her furthering her studies.

“I saw that most of the children couldn’t learn, so I went to Mico to do reading, to see how to get through to these children. After that I went back to do my Master’s at Mico. This is where my teaching career really took off. With these newfound skills I put my best foot forward. I like the challenge of a child not being able to read and getting them up to standard,” she said.

But in 2011, Hayle said her turning point happened when she suffered a ruptured aneurysm in her stomach and “came face-to-face” with her Maker, questioned her purpose, and knew there was more she could do.

It was at this point that Hayle attended an interview to become principal of Padmore Primary in West Rural St Andrew — then deemed a failing school — and the only primary school at that time, according to the National Education Inspectorate, that needed critical attention.

“I said, ‘Not under my charge. The failing brand cannot work.’ No one wanted to come here. The only ones who came were those whose parents were very poor and couldn’t afford a taxi off the hill. When I came here there were only two students registered for grade one. So I decided to seek God’s guidance, and after approaching certain entities for help and was refused — because no one wants to help a failing school — I knew that to redeem the school would take an act of selflessness,” she said.

As a result, Hayle sold her house which her uncle had willed to her, bought a bus to transport children to school, painted the school to make it more attractive, and did house-to-house visitation with community members to spark a renewed interest in the school.

“I had goodwill coming from Red Hills Primary, so people came over to Padmore. I worked seven days a week. Our literacy rate moved from 20-odd per cent and it’s now at 100 per cent. The roll moved from 38 in 2011 to 251 students now. When you want something badly and your reputation is on the line, you go all out, regardless of what it takes.”

She added: “The community is not rich and I know what it’s like to struggle, so I have uniforms made for those who may not be able to afford any. If a child is missing I go straight to the house to see what’s going on. If it is lunch money, I provide the food for them. I foster 27 children, and right now there are children at my home. If I go to a home and it’s not conducive, I’m not leaving without that child. I just say pack up, and the parents don’t object. Social work has to be involved, because when those students knock on your door and tell you what’s happening, you have to rescue them.”

Recently named second runner-up for the Lasco Principal of the Year, making her the top primary school principal, Hayle also manages the Padmore Football Club, serves on the board of directors of the Red Hills Retro Link-up — a group that seeks to empower the youth of Red Hills — and is founder of the SMILE programme (Single Mothers Incorporating Learning Empowerment), which facilitates single mothers sharing their experiences and empowering each other.

She has also led workshops with principals of small schools that are performing below average, and believes wholeheartedly that when making decisions, it should be done for the whole.

“Everyone should leave feeling fulfilled. Things should be done to impact lives and not boost your ratings,” she said.