Rev. Dr. Merle Brock Swan Williams, MBE

Hundreds of young people have Merle Brock Swan Williams to thank for giving them a second chance.

While a teacher at The Berkeley Institute, she began tutoring five students at her home.  They had left school before obtaining a high school diploma and were not permitted to register to take ‘O’ level exams.

That led her to found the Adult Education School in 1958. The school has been a lifeline for students wishing to obtain a high school qualification to enable them to proceed on to college.

 She was director of the school for 30 years and ran it with a team of volunteer teachers.  She did not receive a salary until 1980 when the school received a Government grant.

Rotary International’s Paul Harris Fellow and an honorary doctorate are just two of the awards Merle Brock Swan Williams has received over the years in recognition of her contribution.