Gerald Arhin - First blind Senior Prefect of Okuapeman SHS
When 18-year-old Gerald Emmanuel Arhin was told that he would never see again, he felt the world crumbling under his feet and thought that it was the end of the road for him. However, the doctor who announced the chilling news to him encouraged and gave him some hope for the future.
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He told him that there were visually impaired people who had left indelible marks in society so he could also strive to achieve same.
Gerald took that advice and did not relent in his effort to make it to the top despite his predicament. His efforts paid off and today he has made history at the Okuapemman Senior High School by becoming the first visually impaired student to be elected as the head prefect of the school.
After going through rigorous campaigning and contesting with sighted students for the position, Gerald, a General Arts student polled 852 votes as against 632, and 622 of his opponents to win the position of Senior Prefect of the school.
Narrating how he made it to the top, in an interview with the Junior Graphic, Gerald said when the authorities of the school opened nominations for the position he expressed interest but his friends and mother discouraged him.
He said his mother’s reason was that if he did not win that would affect him psychologically so he should not join the contest. His friends also told him that no visually impaired student had ever held that position in the school so it was not possible for him to win.
Gerald said he heeded the advice and backed off till the nominations were closed. However, after the vetting, the school did not find anyone suitable for the position of Senior Prefect so nominations were opened again.
"It was then that some of my mates and my predeccessor encouraged me to contest", he said. "That was when I told myself that there is always a first time in everything one does and went for the vetting," he added.
Gerald and three other students were shortlisted for the position after the vetting of 12 students. “What touched me so much was that my mates and dormitory members, including some visually impaired old students, all campaigned for me,” he said.
During the campaign period some students poked fun at him while others made derogatory remarks about him but his campaign team did not know how he would feel when he was told all that people were saying about him so they decided not to breathe a word of it to him. They however, told him all about it after he had won the elections.
"I was lost for words when I emerged the winner, " he said, elated.
Asked how he was able to discharge his duties diligently, Gerald said the other prefects were very efficient and promised that together with the others, he would ensure that his administration would be one of the best in the history of the school.
Recounting how he lost his sight, Gerald said he had poor vision as a result of glaucoma when he was only five years old and underwent an operation in the right eye but after the operation his left eye was also affected. He said when his left eye was operated upon he completely lost his vision. He became blind when he turned six years and was moved from a regular school to a special one where he learnt to use the braille. 
Gerald says he is very comfortable living among children who are visually impaired because he teaches them a lot of things which makes him feel good. He said he is a good student and was also a school prefect while at basic school at the Akropong School for the Blind.
He recalled that when he gained admission to the senior high school and a teacher asked the other students who wanted to be his friend, no-one was willing, except one Edward Kwaku Gyasi who offered to help him move around. However, Gerald said during the orientation for fresh students, he asked a question and when his mates realised he spoke very well, they began to get close to him.
Gerald who offers Government, Literature and History, all reading subjects, said most of the time he relied on his mates who are sighted to read his notes to him.
He said sometimes he felt very sorry for himself and hides in a corner to cry his heart out, especially when everyone is preparing for exams and he is unable to find anyone to assist him read his notes. "This situation always reminds me of the time when I could see, he said sadly, and wished he could regain his vision.
He paid glowing tribute to his Literature teacher, Mr Ofori Ntim, who he says has been of immense support to him and other blind students in the school.
“Mr Ofori Ntim has typed all the notes for us and downloaded it on a laptop which has a special software known as JAS so we can study while listening to it”, he said.
Gerald, who aspires to be a lawyer some day, has asked all physically challenged persons to aspire to be the best wherever they find themselves.
By Hannah A Amoah / Junior Graphic / Ghana