Westfield Prep student creates history with perfect NGSA score

Jun 29, 2018 News

By Kiana Wilburg

Westfield Preparatory student, Nalia Rahaman, has made history in Guyana. She is the first person to attain a perfect score at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA). Making this revelation yesterday was Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).
Present at the event were the top performers at the 2018 NGSA, representatives of the Education Ministry, NCERD officials, teachers attached to various schools and several overjoyed parents.
The students who secured the top 15 positions for 2018 are: Nalia Rahaman, Arthur Roberts, Kaydee Ali, Esha Lakeram, Cianna Barkoye, Zyia Braithwaite, Krystal Duncan, Darren Ramphal, Natania Kissoon, Cassie Farinha, Saif Azeze, Virendra Dookie, Jaya Jamuna, Amaya Ramsarup, Jaden Vansluytman, and Hadiya Alli.
These students secured marks within the range of 529 to 521.
While Rahaman came in with a perfect score of 529 out of 529, the second highest score of 525 was achieved by Arthur Roberts of the New Guyana School. Kaydee Ali of Success Elementary attained the third highest score of 524. The fourth highest score of 523 was achieved by four candidates namely: Esha Lakeram of New Diamond/Grove Primary, Cianna Barkoye of North Georgetown Primary, Zyia Braithwaite of Success Elementary and Crystal Duncan of the New Guyana School.

Nalia Rahaman 529

The fifth highest score of 522 was achieved by four candidates namely: Darren Ramphal of Leonora Primary, Natania Kissoon of Success Elementary, Cassie Farhna of Peter’s Hall Primary and Saif Azeeze of Academy of Excellence.
The top students will be attending Queen’s College in September.

THRILLED AND EXCITED!

During their interview with Kaieteur News, the top students shared their secrets for success, along with their general feelings about the exams. Below are their brief stories.

1) Nalia Rahaman (529)

This top performer said she was overcome with happiness and tears after learning of her success at the NGSA.
The Westfield Prep student said, “I feel very happy. I said a lot of prayers to Allah about this and I am just very grateful. I did not expect to perform this well.”
Rahaman noted that Science Paper Two and Social Studies Paper Two posed a few challenges, but she was able to pull through. She said that the secret to her success was “prayers to Allah and being disciplined”.
Rahaman said that while her study schedule did not include late nights, she did make every effort to rise early for revision before school. She noted that her parents were with her every step of the way. “My mother stayed with me while my father used to put my little brother to bed…”
To those students who scored poorly, Rahaman’s advice is, “It doesn’t matter what school you get, it matters what you do at that school. You also have a second chance at CXC to do better.”
The top performer said she wants to be an author, the next J.K Rowling (Celebrated Author of the Harry Potter series). If that does not work out, she will strive to become a future President of Guyana.

2) Arthur Roberts ( 525)
The New Guyana School student said that he is happy to have made it so far.
“I am proud of myself,” he said with a smile. For preparation, Roberts said that he gave up many of his leisure activities like being involved in sports, watching television and playing games on his electronic devices. Roberts said he has always dreamed of going to Queen’s College. He aspires to become a paediatrician.

3) Crystal Duncan (523)
Also of the New Guyana School, Duncan said that preparation for her included revising before going to bed and rising early to push in extra work. She was very thankful to her parents and her teachers for her success to date.

4) Cianna Barkoye (523)
This North Georgetown Primary School student was overjoyed to be named one of the top NGSA performers. She said, “I am so, so happy and I feel like this is a dream come true for me. My sister was a top performer and she got Queen’s College, so I was determined not to deliver anything less. I studied a lot. My favourite subject is Mathematics because the explanations my teachers gave me made it easy to enjoy.”
Barkoye said that she wants to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a teacher.

5) Virendra Dookie (521)

Out of 14,145 students who wrote the NGSA in March last, this Leonora Primary School student had the best letter for his English exams. He was given the opportunity to read the piece, which highlighted the harmful effects of burning garbage near schools. Dookie who scored 521, said that preparation for the NGSA took a lot of hard work. Not only did he engage in revision exercises during the week as well as extra lessons, but he also doubled his efforts on the weekend. “The hardest part was waking up early. I don’t like that. I like to sleep,” he remarked. While Dookie is fond of English, he said that his favourite subject is Mathematics. He wants to be a lawyer.

6) Jaya Jamuna (521)
This New Diamond/Grove Primary School student said that the secret to her NGSA success was “trying to find the fun in it.” The prospective student of Queen’s College added, “I did not bug myself down with work. I did not pressure myself. My parents did not pressure me. They encouraged me a lot and always told me they were proud of me. That made me comfortable.”

PARENTS HELPED SIGNIFICANTLY
While the aforementioned students credited their success mostly to their teachers, extra lessons and revision, others stressed that without the unceasing support of their parents, their achievements would not be possible.
Particularly, Darren Ramphal, Natania Kissoon, Cassie Farinha, Saif Azeze, Hadiyah Alli, Jaden Vansluytman, Dietra Fields, Amaya Ramsarup and Shakina McGregor, who all emphasized that their parents were more than present in their study schedules.
McGregor, an articulate young lady of One Mile Primary School shared, “Yes I studied hard. I am elated and thrilled to perform so well, but my parents were there all the way with me. I just want to say a big thank you to my parents and to let them know that I am grateful.”
She added, “I really couldn’t make it this far without their support.”