Small in height but big in stature

ASHME Singh may be just five feet tall, but as all her students would tell you, her intellect as well as her personality is magnanimous. At just 36-years-old, Singh is the Director of Nations School of Law, Nations Inc. As a matter of fact, she is the youngest Director at Nations Incorporated, altogether. When she graduated as the Valedictorian of Zeeburg Secondary School in 2000, Singh, like so many young Guyanese, had no idea what she wanted to become. With a love for accounting, the Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara resident attempted to pursue a career as an accountant. However, an aunt, who plays a very integral role in her life, encouraged her to pursue law, an area of study that she once considered, but hadn’t given priority. “Accounting is a field that a lot of people were getting into, so by the time I submitted my application to do the Accounting at UG, it was filled, so I ended up enrolling for law…by default,” Singh said.

Although by default, Singh eventually developed a love for legal studies, graduating as one of the top 25 students in the Bachelors of Law (LLB) programme at the University of Guyana in 2004. “I was 20, and that was the year the subsidies were revoked for students to attend law school (the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago),” Singh reflected. Hailing from a humble middle-class family, finances prevented Singh from furthering her law studies. Her desire for employment materialised soon after graduation when Singh applied and eventually became an employee of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC). After two years of service there, Singh began working at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, where she received much guidance from the Director herself, Mrs. Shalimar Ali-Hack.
“That was a very, very rewarding experience; she is very knowledgeable, beyond her years…imagine me reading books, doing research to apply cases and preparing affidavits and she would be dictating off the top of her head what was in there,” Singh recalled.

This was an ability she truly admired and genuinely wanted to emulate. Fast forward a few years, Singh has developed the same ability she once considered to be “miraculous.”“I could teach off the top of my head undergraduate and post-graduate law. I realised when you really practise your craft, inevitably, it becomes automatic to you,” Singh recognised.After a year of wholesome, invaluable experiences, Singh said her contract ended and she parted ways with the DPP Chambers. However, during her stint there, the young woman was able to complete her ACCA studies. Singh is no stranger to excellence, so it came as no surprise to her loved ones and peers when she was presented with the Special Award for achieving the highest average in the Professional level for ACCA Examinations in the Caribbean for 2013. As Singh was pursuing her accounting certification, she had also dabbled in teaching as a part- time lecturer.

INTIMIDATION AND LECTURING 

After her departure from the DPP, Singh applied to teach Corporate and Business Law at the Cacique Accounting College; it seemed like the perfect fit, and paved the way for Singh to fall completely in love with the art of teaching.
During a candid interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Singh recalled how intimidating it was when she attended her interview and had to deliver a presentation.
“It was an all-male panel and I was just a young girl; making a presentation to teach a second- level ACCA course. I remembered feeling as though I was about to have a panic attack…probably if they had asked me my full name, I might not have been able to remember at that time,” Singh reflected.

Once she got started, Singh said her confidence emerged and she continued as eloquently as she possibly could. However, midway through her presentation, she recalled being asked to stop. “I started to panic a little, thinking that I must have really created a big blunder here for them to stop me.”
It was actually the opposite. Without even completing her presentation, Singh was hired on the spot.

LITTLE LADY, BIG INTELLECT

Singh said she was fully cognisant of the fact that being a very young and very petite woman did not garner respect at first sight. She recalled her very first day as a lecturer at the college; a young girl clad in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
“They were big, mature, working people with other tertiary qualifications, and there I was, looking like a little girl,” she recalled.
For obvious reasons, Singh could not command respect at first sight. “At 21, I was about to start lecturing to persons who were older than my parents,” she recalled.

Even though the learners might have brushed Singh off as being a young, frivolous little girl, their impression of her changed as soon as she began to speak.
“Not only was I eloquent and good at impromptu, but I was also quite loud; people say my voice makes up for what I lacked in height,” Singh giggled. She believes herself to be an introvert with an extrovert personality that shines through only in the classroom.

Added to her LLB, Singh also completed her Masters of Law (LLM) via the University of London. She now has over a decade of experience, lecturing the ACCA F4 (Corporate & Business Law), ICM – Business law and Project Management (specifically the Financial and commercial framework), lecturing the LLB (London External Programme) at Nations School of Law and lecturing Principles of Business Law, The Business Environment, Corporate Finance, Managing in Organisations and Corporate Strategy & Planning with the Association of Business Executives.

ONE THING AT A TIME

Asked about her approach to life, Singh insists that focusing her attention on one thing at a time is most effective for her. She believes that multitasking throughout one’s life may not always be effective.
“For instance, if I open several tabs on my computer, trying to research multiple things at one time, it may slow the system down. I believe that a person can excel and function better if they focus on one thing at a time,” Singh posited. This, she noted, has always been her approach to life, with her studies and self-development being a constant focus. Her theory seems even more convincing, considering the fact that she has always excelled in her field.
“I always tell my students that motivation is not always enough. We need to be disciplined. When motivation fails us, discipline keeps us going.”

ASSET

Director of School of the Nations Incorporated, Brian O’Toole, considers Singh to be a great asset to his institution.
“She is remarkable at what she does,” O’Toole posited. He said that Singh has worked diligently for his institution for many years, and that she remains a great asset to the school and its students.
Singh, he said, has become known as a lecturer who goes above and beyond for her students.

MARRIAGE AND NONCONFORMITY

One of the few things that came naturally to Singh is her husband, Mark Amin. He entered her life and stayed, without her having to abandon all else to focus solely on their relationship. “It happened naturally. We met while I was working at the Teaching Service Commission. He came in as an IT (information technology) person to do some work for us, and I was the only one there to assist, so we started talking and he told me he remembered me from UG, that he would sometimes say ‘hi’ to me and I wouldn’t respond,” Singh recalled. “ I Thought for a second that couldn’t possibly be good because i could have never made a good first impression with my rugged attire and unfavourable disposition altogether  I laughed, because I didn’t really believe that he would’ve even looked at me, because I was a real nerd; my hair was never combed, I wore really long skirts and I was always in the library and buried in my books,” she added.

Soon enough, Amin was able to charm his way into her life, and after a few years, the two tied the knot. “He understands me, and he appreciates me for who I am. He knows what my goals are and he supports my need to pursue excellence and be a perfectionist,” a smiling Singh said. Like Singh, her marriage too does not conform to societal norms. “Our complementary factor is what binds us together, and our differences, I guess, keeps things interesting.”  “He cooks, and I don’t like cooking. I clean. We’re kind of like a team. My friends would ask me if I had put out an ad for this guy,” Singh laughed.
She said that the support of her husband has enabled her to become a better teacher to her students.

BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR CHOICES

In highlighting some gaps within the education system, Singh advised that school leavers remain flexible in their pursuit of careers. “Sometimes it is a blessing in disguise not to be too decisive about a particular career path, because an early or premature decision may narrow your opportunities for growth and diversification. It is ok not to be sure about precisely what you want to do or who you want to be. It gives you an open mind to explore a plethora of opportunities which may come your way inevitably,” Singh said. She believes that after dabbling in a variety of things, young people will be able to recognise their professional calling when it comes.

“And by then you would have gathered a myriad of invaluable experience to add to your resume. In today’s world, versatility may be more valuable than expertise, because it means you are dynamic, agile and adaptable just like the volatile, fast-paced environment we are experiencing,” Singh added. Her advice to young people is, “Put in the work. Don’t expect short cuts and favours and connections to get you places, because success, really and truly, is the product of hard work.”