Caption: Kamla Persad-Bissessar
By Prior Beharry
PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar tells a room of high-achieving secondary school students on Thursday that the path out of poverty is paved with education, not crime or violence.
Delivering a feature address at Government Plaza during the awards presentation for outstanding CSEC and CAPE performers in the 2025 May-June examinations, Persad-Bissessar said the only “password” to a better life is education. She addressed 18 regional awardees, urging them to use their talents to build a prosperous future.
She said, “The only way to lift yourselves up, to prepare for the world of work and to build a successful, prosperous life is not through narcotics, drug running or gun running… The key, the password, is education. So, all of you, please, that is the only password.”
In a ceremony that also highlighted regional achievement, Trinidad and Tobago secured ten of the top regional CXC awards. Persad-Bissessar praised the recipients for more than academic prowess, noting discipline, sacrifice and belief in personal potential as integral to their success.
“Whether through innovation, artistic expression, storytelling or mastery of technical and academic skills, each awardee has shown what is possible when talent is nurtured and supported,” the prime minister said.
Each certificate, she added, represents long hours of preparation, the guidance of teachers, family support, and a commitment to excellence, along with the promise of a new generation ready to lead the region.
In related remarks, Dr Wayne Wesley, registrar and CEO of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), urged education stakeholders to ensure accessibility for all, particularly visually impaired students, and to sign on to the Marrakesh Treaty, which promotes equal access to information for blind and partially sighted individuals. He highlighted growing exam participation, noting 3,400 disabled students sat exams in 2024 and more than 3,500 this year.
Wesley emphasised inclusive education and the need to create an environment where all students can thrive, including those affected by natural disasters.
Hurricane Melissa’s aftermath also drew attention from across the educational community. Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies and chairman of CXC, described the devastation in Jamaica’s western regions, including St Elizabeth and Westmoreland, where schools were severely damaged. He warned that recovery will require substantial support for young people and communities hit hardest by the hurricane, but expressed confidence in rebuilding efforts and ongoing assistance to keep students on track.
Top CSEC Awardees
• Obinna Ojiro, Queen’s Royal College – Caribbean History
• Gabriella Chaves, St Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain – Geography
• Selena Mohammed, Chaguanas North Secondary – Visual Arts (3D)
• Anushka Deonath, ASJA Girls’ College, San Fernando – English A (Short Story)
• Ludmilla Guenther, Holy Name Convent, Port-of-Spain – Visual Arts (2D)
Top CAPE Awardees
• Victor Baboolal, Presentation College, San Fernando – Natural Sciences
• Saiesh Rampersad, Presentation College, Chaguanas – Mathematics
• Rianna Neckles, Bishop Anstey & Trinity College East Sixth Form – ICT
• Jabari Brathwaite, San Fernando Central Secondary – Environmental Science
• Jermaine Moore, Presentation College, Chaguanas – Business Studies (ACCA)
