The son of a former East Canje Berbice sugar worker topped Region Six in the National Grade Six Assessment exami-nations based on the results released yesterday.
The Cumberland Primary School student tied with a Cropper Primary School student for the region’s top position.
Pawan Kumar Etwaroo, 11, of Cumberland Village, East Canje Berbice, said that he was quite elated to have found out that he topped Region Six. Etwaroo was offered a spot at Queen’s College, but it is likely that he will attend the Berbice High School.
The top student said he prepared for the examinations by reducing his television time and studied regularly. The young man said he knew that he would have done well but never expected that he would have secured the first spot.
He thanked his parents and teachers, Claudia April and Salima Jahoor, who he said pushed him and supported him throughout his journey.
It was not an easy journey for Etwaroo however, since he had to witness his father, Anand Kumar Etwaroo, 59, lose his job and with it, their only income, due to the closure of the Rose Hall Estate.
The jovial young man said that his parents tried to ensure that his life remained unchanged and not affected by his father losing his job, but he knew exactly what was happening.
Senior Etwaroo in an inter-view with this newspaper noted that he never anticipated that he would have lost his job. He said, that he started to construct a new house for his family after they had lived in a wooden home which was on the verge of collapsing for over twelve years. But it was in the middle of construction that the man was let go from the estate.
He said he was left with the task of providing for his family, completing their house and ensuring their bills were paid. Fortunately, he was able to use his severance payment to complete their home and their families chipped in to ensure that young Etwaroo stayed in school.
Furthermore, he said, he knew his son would have done well but to see him as one of the region’s top students makes the fight to provide for his family’s welfare even more worthwhile.
Young Etwaroo who wants to become a doctor, promised that he will work hard to establish himself so as to be able to support his parents. He is proud of his parents, who despite their challenges, have always put on a brave face and supported him.
Etwaroo tied with Chitra Ramdihal of Cropper Primary with 520 marks for the region’s first place.
Ramdihal, 11, in an interview with Stabroek News, said that she was very excited to have secured the first place. According to the young lady, she also reduced her screen time and attended extra lessons to prepare for the examinations. She said, she is working towards becoming a lawyer.
Scream
Her mother Reshma Ramdihal said, that when she found out, all she could do was “run to the school and scream.” The woman who was very excited, noted that yesterday she visited the school over three times just to look at her daughter and to congratulate her. She said she could not contain her excitement and wanted to let the world know how proud she is of her daughter.
Young Ramdihal spoke highly of her teacher, Lisa Denny.
Three students from Lisa Denny’s class secured spots in the region’s top ten while four students from Cropper Primary secured spots as well.
Denny, who has taught at the school since 2003, said this is her first Grade Six class, “Every morning we are here from 8 and we work from 8 and go until 5. The children are very dedicated and committed to learning and that played a great role. The parents also are very supportive.”
She opined, that the school’s top position is the result of parents and teachers working together with committed students.
Gabriella Henry, of Cropper Primary, who scored 517 marks, said when she received the results her “heart was racing.” She said it took a while for it to sink in that she did so well.
According to young Henry, her goal was to beat her sister who was also in the top position in her year.
She thanked her parents for their support and her teacher, who she said even gave out her cellphone numbers for the students to contact her at any time while revising if they did not understand a topic.
Henry said after lunch, she and her friends would head into class and revise their work before the bell rang.
Brianna Isaacs of All Saints Primary scored 516 marks. Her father, Travis Isaacs noted that he was very proud of his daughter.
Marissa Siriram, scored 514 marks and spoke highly of extra lessons which she said helped her a lot. She too noted that she had to give up her electronic devices as the examination drew closer.
Vikash Nadesan, 12, also of Cropper Primary, who scored 513 marks, noted that he was nervous to receive his results. The aspiring businessman said that it is likely that he would attend the Berbice High School.
He advised future students to “study hard, avoid television and phones.”
Jaeden Conway of School of the Nations located in New Amsterdam, who also scored 513, told Stabroek News that he was very happy with his results. “I am very excited,” he said.
He noted, that he put away his video games to revise his school work.
Conway was transferred from the Lochaber Primary School in Grade Six, “My parents said here I would get a good challenge.”
Conway spoke highly of his entire family, who he said always supported him. He said, anytime he met up with his cousins they would always motivate him to do his best.
Hamesh Bhigroog, 11, of Port Mourant Primary School, who scored 513, said he is “pretty calm” after receiving his results. The young man shook his head ruefully, as he said, “I could have done better.” He said he was hoping for ‘the perfect score’.
Nevertheless, he said, he is looking forward to what the future holds. He said, it is now up to his parents to decide whether he attends an out-of-town school or one in Region Six. He said, “My mom studied with me a lot, my dad used to save me from all the studying and my grandfather was very influential and my grandmother was the one who gave me that drive to go and do my best.”
His father, Poonai Bhigroog, stated that he was overwhelmed with happiness while his wife burst into tears when they learnt of the results.
Bhawanie Yabindranauth, of the Skeldon Primary School, who scored 512, explained that she was also confident that she would have done well at her examinations. She thanked her parents and teachers for supporting her.
Further, she encouraged future students to always “pick up a book and read it.”
Aedan Sanmoogan, from the Cumberland Primary School, who scored 511, said once he was told of his marks he was upset and cried for a bit because he knew he would have done better.
Young Sanmoogan said, that he would be attending the Berbice High School. He joked that he cannot attend an out-of-town school because he has to remain at home to protect his “little sister” who is a bit mischievous. “I’m just being honest,” he said.
The young man also thanked his parents for supporting him and spoke highly of his teacher, Salima Jahoor, who he said worked a lot with every student.
