Valiant offers to pay Munro student’s debt

Dancehall artiste Valiant is ready to pay the outstanding school fees for a Munro College upper sixth-form student who needs more than $300,000 in order to graduate.

"Valiant is in Greece currently, but he saw on social media that the student owes $300,000 and he came to me and said 'Cara, mi waan pay this guy school fee'. He told me that I should reach out and let them know. I asked if he was going to pay a part of the money owed and he said. 'I am going to pay all of it'," Cara Vickers, Valiant's co-manager, told THE STAR.

Valiant, whose given name is Raheem Bowes, is a graduate of Oberlin High School in St Andrew, and despite singing about Dunce Cheque, knows the value of a good education.

This week, he posted the story of the student, Mark Sterling Jr, to his Instagram story, with an appeal for the 18-year-old to get in touch with him or his management, Romeich Entertainment. "Hey, anybody can reach out to them. I'll pay it," Valiant said.

Vickers, who is also in Greece with Valiant, who is booked for a concert in Corfu, said it was normal for her artiste to "extend his community spirit and kindness to people".

"Valiant is like that .... very kind-hearted," she said.

Beverley Leckie, Mark's mother, told THE STAR that persons have been calling her to tell her that they had seen Valiant's offer on social media.

"I am very, very grateful for the offer from Valiant. This is a big load of our head. Mark is a boarder at Munro College from [he was in] grade seven. We used to keep up with the fees, but then his father got ulcers on his feet and he can barely walk ... it is affecting his vein. I raise chickens and throw partner, but him father used to assist me with buying the chicken feed. So with him sick, things go down," Leckie, who lives in St James, explained.

"We stress out over the fees. I never knew Mark was going to make an appeal like that, but is a good thing he did the TVJ interview because we have been getting lots of positive response. The total fee is $368,000 and he has to pay it in order to graduate the first week of July," Leckie said, adding that her son has experienced some embarrassing moments at the St Elizabeth-based institution because of the debt.

Vickers shared that as soon as Valiant returns from Greece he will personally visit Mark and his family.