“I became blind while solving mathematics questions” – WAEC’s best physically challenged candidate

Precious Mbajiorgu has been crowned the best physically challenged candidate in the 2022 West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Precious, who hails from Awada Primary School, Obosi, near Onitsha, shared her journey, revealing that she lost her sight at the tender age of 11 while solving a mathematics problem in class.

Recounting the incident, she described how her world suddenly turned dark, leaving her unable to see the board or anything around her.

“I was not born blind. I used to see perfectly when I was a child until I turned 11. It happened between 2007 and 2008, but I cannot remember the exact day. I just went to school that fateful day. Back then, I was a pupil at Awada Primary School, Obosi, near Onitsha. It was at that school that I became visually impaired. My classmates and I were in the classroom solving mathematics on the board. I had answered the first math question and was about to go to the next question when suddenly I discovered that I could not see the board anymore and could no longer see other things. Everywhere became dark,” she said.

The struggle for answers led Precious to visit numerous hospitals, but none could provide a concrete diagnosis for her blindness.

It was only when foreign doctors visited her village that she was diagnosed with glaucoma.

“I visited many hospitals, and after diagnosis, the doctors told me that there was nothing wrong with my sight and that they did not see any defect, yet I could not see with my eyes. That was how I managed the situation till I got to SS2 in 2012 and could not go further. So, I stopped going to school until 2018 when a group of evangelists came to my place and told me about Oji River Special Education Centre. They took me there where I took remedial courses using learning equipment such as typewriters and other technological tools and after that, I enrolled at St John of God Secondary School in Awka where I started from SS1 to complete my secondary education,” the lady added

Undeterred by her condition, Precious continued to persevere, seeking education and a chance to overcome her disability.

Despite facing many obstacles, Precious had to abandon her studies for several years.

It was only in 2018 that a group of evangelists introduced her to the Oji River Special Education Centre, where she underwent remedial courses using learning aids such as typewriters and other technological tools.

Precious, currently a 100-level student of guidance and counselling, expressed that she never anticipated being named the best physically challenged candidate in WAEC.

“I took the SSCE, National Examination Council exam and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination last year. My visual impairment delayed me and prompted me to enrol on remedial courses to perfect my use of reading with study aids. I felt happy and excited and each time I think about it, I ask myself whether it is real. Before then, I had already received the 2022 Best Art Student award at St. John of God Secondary School, so when the WAEC award came, it made me very happy and made me feel that my hard work paid off,” Precious said.