Husband and wife graduate NCU together

With his three-week-old daughter nestled in his arms, Marvin Pryce was a picture of contentment following the graduation ceremony at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) on Sunday.

The occasion was particularly special for Marvin, as his wife, Kadiann Edwards-Pryce, also graduated from the Manchester-based institution. Marvin, who never attended high school, lauded his wife for encouraging him to pursue some Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects and to further his education. He said that despite the difference in their educational status, Kadiann never belittled him. Instead, she encouraged him to further his education.

"She saw the diamond while it was still in the rough and she worked on it; and what most persons are seeing today is what you go to the store to receive. But if you saw me a few years ago, you'd not want to celebrate what you're celebrating today," he told THE STAR.

After getting his subjects, the couple decided to further their studies at a tertiary institution. But due to financial difficulties, they decided that he would start the programme first, and upon completion of his Bachelor of Arts degree in religion and theology, Kadiann would enrol to pursue her associate degree in occupational studies. That decision, Kadiann said, was met with scrutiny by naysayers.

"People would discourage me and say that he would leave me as soon as he was finished, because that is the norm. But to see how Marvin is grateful and how he supports me, I am really happy," said Kadiann. Marvin called Kadiann his main supporter and said that she was instrumental in offsetting some of the family's expenses while he studied. Kadiann made peanuts and grater cakes for him to sell on campus, while she did some selling in Mandeville. Kadiann also worked several odd jobs.

The family found a ray of hope when Kadiann copped a scholarship and was able to join Marvin at NCU in 2019.

"We're not from a privileged background, so after hearing for so many years that you're not supposed to go to university, you cannot make it, you will not come out to anything, you will need somebody strong behind you to motivate you," Kadiann told THE STAR.

Marvin and Kadiann, who got married in 2013, are parents to 10-year-old Amora, Jeremiah, three, and baby Kayla-Ann. Navigating the realms of motherhood while studying was no easy feat for Kadiann. She said, however, that she remained relentless in pursuit of a better life for her children.

"If you're only looking at the now, you'll give up. What drives and propels me is, I want to give my children what was not given to me by my parents. Whenever I faced some terrible courses at school and felt like giving up, I remembered my children must have textbooks, because I didn't have textbooks. I remembered my children must have lunch, because I didn't have lunch many days," Kadiann said.

Kadiann, who was granted a full government scholarship, is currently pursuing a second degree, a bachelor's in secondary teacher education at Church Teachers' College. Marvin is also completing another programme at NCU, an associate degree in business administration.

The couple lauded their church family and others who, they said, have supported them over the years.