By Shabna Ullah
The student from the Lachmansingh Primary School in West Berbice who was among the top performers in the country at this year’s Grade Six Assessment says her achievement was due to dedication and hard work.
Eleven-year-old Chandanie `Pretha’ Panday who gained 537 marks was awarded a place at Queen’s College and is looking forward to attending her new school in September.
Asked if she was expecting to do so well, she responded, “Not really because I did not write the Grades Two and Four assessments. I only came into the country one year ago and most of my time was taken up with social studies.”
The child who is also the top student for her school and for Region Five is grateful to God for guiding her through her work as well as her mother and her teachers; especially Constance McCalmon.
She is also thankful for the encouragement she got from the vendors at the school, her family and friends. Chandanie aspires to follow in the footstep of her father, Dr. Parva Panday and become a medical doctor.
She told Stabroek News, “Now that the exams are over and I got good marks I feel very excited and relieved. At least some of the pressure has been taken off so now I can have time to relax and be involved in social activities.”
The girl who said she stayed up a few hours every night to study enjoys reading fiction and science books or “anything interesting.
Placing second for the school with 522 marks, Yasmin Shariff told SN that she was disappointed with her marks. She said too that she “studied very hard and was expecting to do much better but I am still thankful for what I got.”
She is also “feeling very proud for placing second in the school and for being among the top in the region. I am looking forward to furthering my education at President’s College.”
Yasmin who wants to become a pharmacy technician, thanks God for her success. She is also grateful to her teachers, mother, older sister and friends who assisted her. During her spare time she relaxes by reading or watching television.
Petite Kennia Maynard placed third with 517 marks and was followed closely by Adrian Budhu with 516 marks and Cecelee Naraine with 515 marks.
The three have been awarded places at St. Roses High School but have opted to attend President’s College instead as they have nowhere to stay in Georgetown.
They enjoy reading and watching educational programmes on television. Maynard and Naraine, two budding pediatricians and Budhu who aspires to become an engineer said they studied hard for the exams and felt they could have done better.
Along with three other students, Debra Tulsi and Sukraj Beephat who gained 504 marks and Andrea Persaud who attained 502 marks they thanked God for their success. They also expressed gratitude to their Grade Six teachers – Miss McCalmon, Sir Rajpaul Singh, Miss Stacy Williamson and Miss Padmini Bissoon, relatives and friends.
McCalmon told this newspaper that she expected the result to be better but she is still grateful that the children maintained the standard that the school is accustomed to.
She said that during the time that the students were preparing for the exams she had been serving as the acting headmistress “so all my focus was not on the children.”
She nevertheless praised the parents for contributing to the children’s success and for the interest shown.
