Success Elementary girl tops NGSA

Jul 05, 2024 News

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Kaieteur News – Alisha Scheller of Success Elementary emerged as the country’s top National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) student.

Scheller, who is currently on vacation gained 503.34 marks out of the highest possible score obtainable of 504.24 marks, securing a spot at the country’s top secondary school, Queen’s College.

This was announced by the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand who on Thursday released the 2024 NGSA results at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Some 15,285 candidates wrote the examinations on May 2 and 3, 2024.

Among the top performers who also secured placement at Queen’s College is Kaiya Daniels of Green Acres Primary who gained the second position in the country with 503.27 marks, Lucas Spooner of Mae’s Under 12 secured the third position with 502.44 marks and Skyler Gopaul also from Mae’s Under 12 obtained the fourth position in the country with 502.38 marks.

This year, three candidates shared the fifth position with 502.33 marks each. They are Jayin Kissoon of Marian Academy, Khayleigh Ramautar of Academy of Excellence and Yuan Shen of Canadian School of Arts & Science. Copping the eighth position is Adam Rahaman of Mae’s Under 12 who obtained 502.32 marks, Sophia Miranda of Success Elementary who secured the ninth position with 502.30 marks and Abigail Manohar also of Success Elementary who gained the tenth position with 502.27 marks.

The Ministry of Education has continued its collaboration with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to improve the quality of all national primary grade assessments.

During her address, Minister Manickchand applauded the pupils for their exceptional performances, as well as the teachers and parents who played a crucial part.

She also made mention of the government’s involvement and investments in the necessary tools and materials the students needed especially during the COVID-19 period and noted it has yielded good results.

“I was very pleased to see that we finally appear to be and fingers are crossed climbing out of the COVID hardship that we had and that really hit us in the education sector very, very hard as it did countries around the world. And we are finally seeing results that show that we have taken some good sound decisions even at the time we ourselves didn’t know if they were right because we hadn’t had that COVID experience before,” the minister explained.

She added, “And that our investment and textbooks and breakfast and more trained teachers and resources that allow for distance learning like the learning channel, ED You FM, worksheet, websites, quiz me, those are paying dividends in students and pupils who ordinarily are not present at these kinds of ceremonies because they didn’t have the same resources that private school type children would have.”

Among the top 20 performers in the country is Roshine Deonarine of Huist Dieren Primary who placed 11^th in the country with 502.19 marks, sharing the 12th position are Khadeja Ramsammy of Cumberland Primary and Perla Da Silva of Mae Under 12, both securing 501.41 marks. The 14^th position was gained by Robin Walcott of Success Elementary with 501.40 marks, Ryan Persaud of New Guyana School secured the 15^th position with 501.38 marks, Sydney Cummings of Canadian School of Arts & Science, Priya Khan of Leonora Primary and Aydan Itwaru of Zeelugt Primary shared the 16^th position with 501.36 marks.

The 19^th position was gained by Matthew Persaud of Mon-Repos Primary with 501.34 marks while Shreya Singh of Mae’s Under 12 and Emma Singh of Academy of Excellence gained the 20^th position with 501.30 marks. All these students have been awarded a place at Queen’s College.

Speaking with media operatives yesterday after the results were announced, top performer Kaiya Daniels said she felt amazing and was in disbelief after learning of her results.

“I want to be a scientist and to reach my goal, to go to QC and to go in the top 10 of the country I had to study long hours and I use sources such as Guyana learning channel, Quiz Me and the Education website,” the elated student said.

Kaieteur News understands that Daniels while preparing for her exams was at the same time writing a book with some friends which is now available for purchase on Amazon.com. It is titled ‘A Game of Friendship’.

Commenting on her daughter’s success, Melesa Agard told the media “Well the journey here wasn’t easy but as Kaiya said she studied for long hours, she was a very dedicated child, studying was not a problem she was always willing to pick up her book and do her research and so forth. I was there as a motivation and guide so that she can be here.”

“We both are in disbelief and also as she mentioned earlier she wrote a book while preparing for NGSA and I am so proud of her. I am happy that you were able to accomplish both of this in this one momentum so congratulations Kaiya,” the proud mom expressed.

Another top performer, Lucas Spooner said he felt great about his performance having topped his school and brought 3^rd place in the country. “I was very confident about the exam and I knew that I was going to be here. I used to wake up 04:30 in the mornings and go to bed at 9 [in the night] doing classes. I did do a lot of lessons and classes and a lot of work preparing for the exams,” he explained.

Briefly, his mother Natasha said she was overwhelmed after learning of his results and noted that her son has been consistent throughout primary school.

Meanwhile, Skyler Gopaul who copped the Best Story award at the 2024 NGSA, told the media that she felt “ecstatic and it’s like it’s not real, like it’s a dream.”

Jayin Kissoon of Marian Academy said, “I am feeling very excited to have gotten the school I wanted and to have gotten a good result.”

His message to students who will sit the exams come next year is, “A friend once told me to prepare for the worse but expect the best so I would like to relate that message.”

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• Jayin Kissoon, Khadeja Ramsammy, Khayleigh Ramautar of Academy of Excellence, Marian Academy, marks

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