Top CSEC/GCE performers ecstatic

Aug 22, 2008 News

---

The results of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination were yesterday unveiled by Senior Education Minister Shaik Baksh and 16 students were singled out as the most outstanding, attaining at the least 11 grade ones.

Among the top achievers were: Rahul Neehal Lall, Vikram Deonaraine, and Yashoda Naraine of Anna Regina Multilateral; Yana-Marisa Edwards, Simantani Lalaram, Farzana Razack, Joshua Griffith, Aaron Haralsingh, Suraj Mattai, Riccola Cummings and Divya Shidas of Queen’s College; Rizwan Saffie, Dellyssa Edinboro, and Joanne Stoby of Bishop’s High; Nareefa Nasrudeen of President’s College; and Eileen Marray of New Amsterdam Multilateral.

Rahul Neehal Lall
The Anna Regina Multilateral School is once again in the limelight, as 16 year old Rahul Neehal Lall has achieved 14 grade ones and 2 grade twos at this year’s CSEC examinations, the highest gained in the country. The young man, who hails from Anna Regina on the Essequibo Coast, literally jumped for joy when Kaieteur News broke the news to him. The youth expressed immense shock and was lost for words. He told this newspaper that he performed to the best of his ability, but did not expect to top the country.
According to Lall, who is aspiring to be a lawyer, he is now proud and happy that he has put Essequibo on the map once again.
He attributed his success to his mother, Judy Lall, who is the senior mistress of the school, and who also taught him English A and Literature along with his father, Parmeshwar Lall who is the retired headmaster of the said school.

Yana-Marisa Edwards
Sixteen-year-old Yana-Marisa Edwards of Fourth Street, Campbellville, has gained the second position in the country as she achieved 14 grade ones and one grade two at this year’s CSEC exams. The youngster who attended Queens College told Kaieteur News that the reality of the situation has not hit her as yet, but she is delighted that she has done well. According to Edwards, now that she has received her results, she will be furthering her studies in the field of medicine.
She attributed her success to her parents, God, teachers and friends.
Her mother, Magistrate Yonette Cummings Edwards, who is attached to the Court of Appeal, told this newspaper that her daughter has always been a disciplined child. Kaieteur News also understands that young Edwards also gained the 3rd position in the country when she wrote her Secondary School Entrance Examinations (SSEE).

Vickram Deonaraine
Also among the top performers from the Anna Regina Multilateral School is 16 year old Vickram Deonaraine who gained 13 grade ones and 3 grade twos. When Kaieteur News contacted his home, his mother, Daywattie Balram could not control her emotions. She told this newspaper that she cannot express the way she feels, as she did not expect her son to do this good. The woman, who is a single parent, said that she is a domestic worker and struggled to take care of her children since their father died three years ago from cancer. She explained that her son has always been an excellent worker at school and that she is proud of him.

SIMANTHANI
LALARAM
Simanthani Lalaram who resides in Prashad Nagar was all smiles yesterday when she received her CXC results. The 16-year-who attends Queens College gained 13 grade ones. Lalaram told Kaieteur News that she knew she would have done well at this year’s examinations as she worked hard for it. As for the actual examinations, the young woman said that it was overestimated, and that she did not find it to be difficult. Lalaram said that she is more interested in going into the field of medicine and gave credit for her success to her parents, sister, God and her teachers.

FARZANA RAZACK
Farzana Razack of Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara achieved 12 grade ones and one grade two at the examinations. The 16-year-old who also attends Queens College said that she is not surprised with her success, but she was still worried about her results. According to the young woman, she studied really hard for the exams and performed to the best of her ability. She noted that she will be furthering her studies in the business field, but has not chosen anything specific as yet, as she was awaiting her results. She attributed her success to her parents, teachers and God.

RIZWAN SAFFIE
Rizwan Saffie was lost for words yesterday when Kaieteur News informed him of his CXC results. The 16-year-old Bishop’s High School student successfully achieved 12 grade ones. Saffie, who lives in Herstelling on the East Bank of Demerara, told this newspaper that he has always performed well in school and his success is no surprise. According to the young man, some of the exams were tough, but he managed to overcome the challenges. He noted that he will pursue the field of dentistry and attributed his success to his grandmother, teachers and God.

EILEEN MARRAY
This 16-year-old is currently holidaying in the United States of America and up to last evening was still unaware that she had acquired 12 grade ones at this year’s CXC.
Marray attended the New Amsterdam Multilateral School and, according to her father, Rohan Marray, his daughter has been performing well in school since she was in the first form.
He noted that her success came as no surprise to him as he expected her to do well. It was explained that Marray got encouragement from her two sisters who also performed well at CXC a few years ago. According to her father, the youth has continued the tradition.

JOSHUA GRIFFITH
This young man was in disbelief yesterday when Kaieteur News broke the news to him.
The youth, who hails from Duke Street, Kingston, attended Queens College and achieved 11grade ones. He explained that he did not have a study schedule, but studied vigorously in the subjects which he felt he needed to improve in. Griffith said that he did not expect to do so well at the examinations and gave credit to his teachers, parents, sister and God. Now that he has received his results, the youth is hoping to enter the business field and further his studies.

DELLYSSA EDINBORO
Listed among the top 16 of the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination (CSEC) for 2008, 16- year-old Dellyssa Edinboro of QQ 12 Lamaha Park, Georgetown, attained 11 grade ones and one grade two.
The Bishop’s High School student, during an interview with this newspaper last evening, said that she was surprised and was even moved to tears when she first learnt that she was so successful at the exam.
Her days and nights of unwavering studies have paid off, according to Dellyssa, as did the intense tutoring sessions she received from her several dedicated Bishop’s teachers, as well as those who provided her with extra lessons. She, however, singled out teachers such as Mr. Denis Patterson, Mr Cohen Jackson, ‘Sir’ Thompson and Ms. Claudine Collins, who is also her aunt.
But without her parents, Mr Deryck Edinboro, Assistant General Manager at the National Insurance Scheme, and Ms. Joycelyn Edinboro, the Regional Environmental Officer for Region Three, Dellyssa said that her success may not have been possible.
It is Dellyssa’s dream to pursue a career which will allow her to travel around the world and be able to speak several languages

AARON HARALSINGH
Aaron Haralsingh told Kaieteur News that he knew he would have done well at the examinations, but did not expect such an excellent performance. Haralsingh, who also attended Queens College, gained 11 grade ones and one grade three. He is now aspiring to enter either the field of physics or medicine and may even attend the University of Guyana this September. In smiles, the youth noted that some of the exams were challenging, but he still overcame the obstacles.

SURAJ MATTAI
Seventeen-year-old Suraj Mattai of 69 A Barima Avenue, Bel Air Park, was enjoying a game of table tennis with his friends when he was halted by his mother, Mrs Bharati Mattai, who requested a hug from him.
According to the Queen’s College student, he could not understand why his mother simply wanted a hug when he was in the process of playing a game. It was only until she decided to share the news which she had earlier received from a Kaieteur News reporter of him attaining 11 grade ones and one grade two at the CSEC examination that he was able to relate to his mother’s emotional episode.
An elated Suraj said that it was only earlier in the day that he was discussing the examination but had no idea that the results would have been available so soon.
According to the lad’s mother, his initial reaction was “blank”, since he could not believe at first that he had done exceptionally well.
He credits his success to God and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Mattai of N and S Mattai and Company, and of course his older sisters Indira and Kiran, who both set the stage for Suraj since they both were outstanding achievers over the years.

RICCOLA CUMMINGS
Riccola Cummings of 11 First Street, Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, said that she was ecstatic and of course could not refrain from expressing herself through excited screams when she first learnt of her success at the CSEC exams. The 16-year-old Queen’s College student was able to gain 11 grade ones and one grade two.
Riccola, a former West Ruimveldt Primary School top achiever, said that although she studied incredibly hard for the examination she was very surprised that she did so well. She said that she was afforded considerable assistance from her teachers at QC but noted that her sincere academic disposition was first moulded by her lessons teacher, ‘Sir Bernard’, who taught her during her primary school days.
And according to the young lass, her parents, Mr. Andre Cummings, a businessman, and her mother Mrs. Michelle Cummings, a teacher at the St. Joseph High School, were very instrumental in helping her to realise that she had the ability to excel.

YASHODA NARAINE
This 16-year-old young man, who also attends the Anna Regina Multilateral School, gained 11 grade ones at the examinations. The youth who resides at Affiance on the Essequibo Coast told this newspaper that he studied ‘day and night’ for the examinations and like his other colleagues, did not expect to perform so well. Naraine is hoping to become an economist in the future and is slated to attend the University of Guyana in September.
He attributed his success to his parents, teachers and church members.

JOANNE STOBY
Sixteen-year-old Joanne Stoby of 152 CC Eccles, East Bank Demerara was a vision of excitement but yet was in a state of disbelief when she first learnt that she was among the top CSEC students with 11 grade ones. The Bishop’s High School student said that she credits her success to God firstly, the Pastor and other members of the Eccles Assemblies of God Church who supported her immensely.
Her parents, Mr David Stoby, an interior decorator and her homemaker mother, Mrs Lena Stoby, were undoubtedly her greatest support since they were the ones that stood by her through everything that she went through.

---

---