By Sue-Ann Wayow
MINISTER of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly congratulates the eight top Trinidad and Tobago achievers in the 2020 Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).
In a press release on Sunday, the minister said she was overjoyed by the achievements especially with all the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said, “I am overjoyed by the accomplishments of the students of T&T. Surmounting the obstacles presented by Covid-19 and today, being able to achieve the highest number of outstanding awards within the region is no minor achievement.
“I am grateful to the students, parents and teachers who have gone above and beyond to ensure success. I extend my heartiest congratulations to our eight awardees and to those who have excelled across the Caribbean.”
Last week, CXC held a virtual award ceremony for all the winners of Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). The ceremony was hosted by Antigua and Barbuda and was the first such ceremony.
Guyana also did well and received awards for best school in both CSEC and CAPE and best performing candidate.
T&T pupils won half of the awards with three topping the region in CSEC Examinations and five at CAPE.
The ministry stated that while the format for this year’s ceremony was different, it did not take away its prominence.
The event was attended by Governor General of Antigua and Barbuda and Lady Williams Sir Rodney Williams, members of the host country’s diplomatic corps and several government officials.
Antigua & Barbuda’s Prime Minster Gaston Browne, delivered the feature address and stressed the need for the Caribbean region to build an education system that adequately responds to the needs of modern economies by giving students the tools to succeed at all levels of their educational pursuits. He said the days for chalk and talk are long gone.
Browne said, “The use of computer technology and the integration of machine learning within the classroom and indeed the wider society must a critical element in our education system.”
Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Education, Sports and the Creative Arts Darryl Matthews, CXC Registrar Dr Wayne Wesley and CXC Chairman Sir Hilary Beckles also delivered remarks at the ceremony.
T&T’s awardees for CSEC were:
- Shai-an Lee Wen, St Joseph’s Convent, San Fernando, Most Outstanding in Humanities;
- Joe David Wootten, private candidate, Most Outstanding in Principles of Accounts (ACCA Award); and
- Keziah Sealey–Liverpool, St Augustine Girls’ High School- Most Outstanding in History (University of Guyana Menzes-Rodney Award)
T&T’s CAPE awardees were:
- Rhianna Ragoonanan, Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College, Most Outstanding in Humanities (Holder Education Award);
- Anjali Maharaj, Naparima Girls’ High School, Most Outstanding in Business Studies (ACCA Award);
- Xavier Joseph, Presentation College, Chaguanas, Most Outstanding in Environmental Science Kimberly Seerattan, Lakshmi Girls’ Hindu College, Most Outstanding in Language Studies; and
- Abdur Rahman- Mohammed, Naparima College (Boys), Most Outstanding in Mathematics (RM Award).
