Dear Editor,
The CSEC 2012 results are out, and we want to take this opportunity to congratulate the students of this country, obviously including Ms Sarah Hac who was this years’ top CSEC student.
We also want to congratulate our own students who have maintained the high standard set by their predecessors. In particular, we are happy to congratulate our best student, Ms Bibi Ameena Asgaralie, who secured 13 grade ones in all the subjects she wrote. These 13 grade ones, however, are a little testimony to her will and character as she has had to triumph over the most challenging of circumstances to reach this level. We are truly happy for her.
I especially want to thank the teachers of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN). We have been blessed with an exceptionally dedicated group of men and women. There are some who are truly outstanding, and what we are now finding out is that their commitment, inspiration and motivation have been turning out to be quite contagious. No school could ask more of its teachers.
As reported in the media, there has been some talk of the performance of private schools in Guyana. We, at SVN, would like to share the following analysis of our results so that we might be in a better position to understand the role of private schools in our country. This year SVN offered 13 subjects, while 34 students appeared at the examinations, held in May and June.
A total of 31 (91%) students were successful, passing with grades 1 to 3, in 11 or more subjects, including Mathematics and English Language. Of these 31, the media reported that 11 of our students have featured among the top 175 (1%). Only two other schools in Guyana have done better.
In all 165 (39.01%) grade ones were awarded, followed by 172 (40.66%) grade twos, 74 (17.49%) grade threes, 11 (2.6%) grade fours and a single (.24%) grade five. This shows that our students have secured an impressive 80% pass in grades 1 and 2 only, and 97% pass in grades one to three.
As far as individual subjects are concerned each of the following: Caribbean History, Economics, Geography, Human and Social Biology, Integrated Science, Information Technology, Office Administration, Principles of Business and Social Studies recorded 100% passes (grades 1 to 3).
The subjects in which students did not score 100% were English Literature (88%), Principles of Accounts (91%), and Spanish (97%). The full complement of 34 students wrote all the subjects excepting Economics, Human and Social Biology and Office Administration in which 15, 14 and 20 students respectively appeared.
We now come to the results for Mathematics and English Language, which continue to be the subjects in which students in Guyana and the rest of the CXC region, traditionally perform poorly. However, as far as SVN is concerned, these are precisely the two areas in which our students have consistently performed spectacularly.
It has been revealed that the regional pass rate (grades 1 to 3) for Mathematics is 33%, while the national rate in 29.9%. The government pilot school secured a pass rate of 40%, the public schools 31%, private schools 27%, and private candidates 29%.
The story in English Language reveals a similar pattern. The regional pass rate in English was 47 % versus Guyana’s rate of 37%. The pilot schools topped both the regional and national rate with 52%. The pass rate for public schools was 39% private schools 36% and private candidates 25%.
At SVN, the pass rate (grades one to three) for Mathematics was 97%, representing a considerable increase over the 2010 and 2011 results of 88% and 90% respectively, while the pass rate for English Language was 91% as compared with 85% and 98% for 2010 and 2011 respectively.
Two other salient points should be considered in analyzing the results at SVN. The first is that no student of SVN is permitted to go outside of the school for lessons. This has been our rule from the day this school started. Whatever extra help students need, is given right here by their teachers.
The second point that will put SVN’s results in a better perspective is that the average NGSA (Common Entrance) score of this batch of CSEC students was 471, the lowest being 381 and the highest 531. The student with 381 passed all 12 of her subjects with Mathematics and English. Given a wholesome and conducive environment, so-called ordinary students can produce extra-ordinary results. This is what teachers and students at SVN have been doing since 2005.
Yours faithfully,
Swami Aksharananda
Principal
