After 48 years and 10 months of dedicated service to education in Barbados, Dr. Martin Alleyne, the long-serving Deputy Principal of Harrison College, was celebrated by the entire school community in a special farewell assembly, bringing together current students, faculty, non-teaching staff, and former colleagues to mark the close of his historic career.
Colleagues across the school shared glowing tributes to Dr. Alleyne, framing him as a steady, dependable leader who guided Harrison College through some of its most turbulent modern challenges. Retired principal Juanita Wade’s citation, read aloud by current teacher Sophia Chase—who first met Dr. Alleyne as her first-form English instructor—highlighted the depth of his experience across every level of school leadership. From his early days in the classroom teaching canonical works like *David Copperfield* and *The Call of the Wild*, he rose through the ranks to become a senior teacher, department head, and finally Deputy Principal, building a reputation as a trusted advisor whose insight was rooted in decades of frontline education work.
Wade emphasized that through crises ranging from seasonal hurricanes and the 2021 eruption of the La Soufrière volcano to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Alleyne remained an unwavering source of support for the entire school community. Never one to shrink from adapting to new demands, he voluntarily completed virtual professional development courses to master modern online teaching methodologies when the pandemic forced schools to shift to remote learning, keeping his skills sharp and his instruction aligned with cutting-edge educational practices. “He was a dependable and approachable Deputy Principal who consistently gave his very best,” Wade wrote in her citation, adding that his steady leadership made her own work as principal far easier.
Current principal Kaylene Kellman-Holder echoed this praise, crediting Dr. Alleyne with ensuring a seamless leadership transition when she first took on her role at the school. Recalling her first day in office, Kellman-Holder noted that Dr. Alleyne’s behind-the-scenes coordination kept school operations running so smoothly that no one could tell it was her first day in the top leadership position. “Teacher man… has been the one directing, guiding… despite being very much behind the scenes,” she said of his quiet, effective leadership style.
The celebration was repeatedly interrupted by joyful student chants of “Big up a man like Dr Alleyne,” a clear reflection of the widespread affection and respect the school body holds for the retiring educator. The school community presented Dr. Alleyne with a range of gifts to mark the occasion: second-form students gifted a custom cake reading ‘Happy Retirement’ and a gift bag, the sixth form year group presented an original painting, and the school leadership presented a ceremonial gift basket.
Longtime connections ran deep throughout the event. Marilyn Boyce-Singh, speaking on behalf of the school’s non-teaching staff, shared that she has known Dr. Alleyne for more than 40 years, after he taught her when she was a student at what is now Graydon Sealy Secondary School. “He is one of those persons that I can call at any time and ask a question and get an answer. He is so easy to work with,” she said, before wishing him a long, healthy retirement filled with blessing.
In his own farewell remarks, Dr. Alleyne surprised many by sharing that education was never his original career path. After graduating from The Lodge School Upper Sixth in 1977, he only took a temporary five-week teaching post while planning to pursue a career in law. That short appointment grew into a nearly 50-year lifelong calling, and over the decades, he developed a deep abiding love for teaching, with a particular passion for English literature.
Framing his career as the close of the first chapter of his life, Dr. Alleyne said: “This is the end of my first book. My second book will begin on the 24th of July.” The educator, who officially retires on July 23, shared that he is looking forward to enjoying long-postponed hobbies in retirement, including fishing, swimming, recreational reading, and returning to shooting and archery. He left students with one final piece of advice, encouraging them to embrace their journeys no matter where they lead: “You don’t know at your age where you will end up. But whatever you do… do it as unto the Lord.”