Still unable to walk following an accident in February that almost claimed his life, 12-year-old Josh-El Cumberbatch showed sheer grit when he sat the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) make-up exam on Thursday.
Josh-El wrote the exam at the Avocat Vedic Primary in Fyzabad while sitting in his wheelchair. Due to the tissue injuries he suffered to his left leg when he was knocked down by a vehicle along the Main Road in Vance River while on his way to school, he was unable to sit the SEA exam with his classmates on March 21.
His mother, Oyasanya Ogunsiji, said she was proud of her son because he showed strength and courage.
“I was anxious about him putting back on his school uniform because the last time he did was when he got bounced. I had applied for concessions which we got but he told me he wanted to wear his school clothes. We saw his eagerness and willpower and how strong he is. He put on his school clothes and he went,” she said
Josh-El, who was the only student in a wheelchair, got extra time to complete the exam.
Ogunsiji said she was happy that he finally got to write the exam, especially since he did not want to return to his primary school after what happened.
“The purpose for him writing the exam is for him to move forward,” she said.”It was not an ordinary day. It was different for me, more of concern and being protective to make sure he gets through this.”
She said they are still awaiting a date for his therapy session.
“Everything is basically as before since he still cannot walk, he cannot get off of the wheelchair on his own.
“We have to lift him or help him up. We do not know what will change when he starts to go to therapy,” she said.
Ogunsiji said the TTPS never offered counselling, so when Josh-El went to the clinic she asked that he receive counselling but they are still waiting on that.
She said if her son gets the “privilege and opportunity” for medical help abroad she would accept it.
“Everything is a process here. Every outpatient clinic visit is a month or six weeks apart, and I think a lot can happen within that month or six weeks apart. Otherwise, we have to try to do whatever we can privately or on our own until the next visit,” she said.
