QC duo top CSEC

By Femi Harris, Alva Solomon, Tiffny Rhodius and Adrian Smith

With 14 grade ones each, Kia Persaud and Padminee Roshundatt of Queen’s College (QC) emerged the top students of the 10,243 candidates who wrote this year’s Caribbean Secondary Examinations Council (CSEC) exams.

The preliminary results of the examination were announced at a press briefing yesterday by Minister within the Ministry of Education, Dr Desrey Fox.

At the press briefing held at the Ministry’s NCERD office, Fox said that more students wrote the exam this year when compared to that of previous years. According to Dr Fox, the analysis of the 2009 CSEC results revealed that the overall pass rate at the general and technical proficiencies for grade one to three was 63.7%; while the overall 2009 grade one to four pass rate was 83.25%. When compared to that of 2008, Fox said that these scores show an increase in the grade one to three and grade one to four pass rates. In 2008, the grade one to three pass rate was 57.23% while grade one to four was 78.67%.

The Minister said that though students had done increasingly well there is still much room for improvement.

Persaud and Roshundatt head a list of seven QC students featured among the top ten performances at the examination. They were followed by Roberta Ferguson who obtained 13 grade ones and Davendra Singh with 12 grade ones and two grade twos; both of QC. Securing the top position at the St Rose’s High School was Jasodra Devi Boodhoo who gained 12 ones and one two. QC’s Esha Homenauth scored 12 ones. Arifa Mohamed emerged the top student for the Anna Regina Multilateral with 11 grade ones, three grade twos and one grade three. QC’s Dianne Natasha Narine, Tiffany Clementson and Tajram Dhanraj of the Bishops’ High all gained 11 ones and two twos. Emerging as the top student of the West Demerara Secondary School was Jaikeshan Takechandra who obtained 11 grade ones and one grade two. Joshua Bhudial of the JC Chandisingh Secondary, Rajiv Nandalal of Saraswati Vidya Nikhetan and Davendradat Doodnauth of Tagore Memorial all secured the top positions for their respective schools with 11 grade ones each.

Sixteen-year-old Queen’s College student Padminee Roshundatt, when contacted by telephone yesterday told Stabroek News that she expected to do well at the CSEC exams but not to feature as a top performer. The Mahaica resident stated that her teachers, parents and relatives were very supportive during her preparations for the exams. Roshundatt stated that frequent practice on past CXC papers assisted her in the process. An excited Roshundatt said that she would be continuing her studies at QC in the sixth form when the new school year begins. She expressed heartfelt appreciation to God, her parents and other members of her family, who she noted, contributed greatly to her success at the CSEC examinations. Kia Persaud is out of the country and could not be contacte

When Stabroek News caught up with Ferguson at a city hair dressing salon yesterday she was crying tears of joy and still in shock after learning of the news. The 17-year-old of Plaisance told Stabroek News that after writing the exams, she decided not to torture herself with what the results would be.

“I just studied extremely hard, did my exams and decided that I was not going to worry about the results,” she said.

The aspiring accountant said that her success came through hard work and sacrifice. She explained that she stayed awake at nights reviewing her notes of lessons. Her words of encouragement for prospective CSEC students are to be consistent with their studies and remain focused. Thanking God first off all for her success, Ferguson said that she is also grateful to her family and accounts teacher in particular for the overwhelming support they had given. This newspaper caught up with a quiet Jasodra Devi Boodhoo at the GT&T head office, Brickdam where she was attached as a work study student. The 15-year-old of Canal Number Two Polder, West Bank Demerara couldn’t stop smiling during her interview with this newspaper.

“I couldn’t believe it, I still can’t believe it,” she gushed. Boodhoo said that not once did the thought of being among the top performers cross her mind. As she puts it, “I just wanted to pass all my subjects so that I could have made my parents proud of me. But doing this well, no, I was not expecting it.”

The young lady, who wants to pursue a career in the business field at the University of Guyana, said that her father was involved in an accident some years ago and had lost his memory. Though he has improved somewhat over the years, Boodhoo said that she had made a commitment to herself that she was going to try her best at school to make her father extremely proud of her and make a difference in her family.

Sharing with this newspaper that her parents are vendors who work extremely hard to ensure that she was well prepared for her exams, the lass said that she wants to one day be able to give back to them for all that they have given to her.

“I know that I would not be able to give back to them fully, but I just want them to be proud of me every step of the way,” she said.

Thanking God first of all for her success, Boodhoo also expressed gratitude to her family and all of her teachers for the support she received.

For students who will be writing the exams, the teenager had this to say, “They should study

hard, make the sacrifices and listen attentively in the classroom; and when they study, they should try to understand the concepts being thought rather than trying to cram them. This would help them to reap the benefits.”
Dianne Natasha Narine

Campbellville resident Dianne Natasha Narine told this newspaper yesterday that   even though she expected to perform well at the CSEC exams, the results of the examinations were a bit beyond her expectations. The young lady stated that her preparations for the examinations saw her studying ‘along the way’ and noted that she got more serious with her studies a few weeks prior to the commencement of the first subject she wrote. She said she is good at retaining information and noted that this, as well as the extra lessons she attended, may have contributed to her success at the exams. Narine stated that she favoured all the subjects she sat at the examinations but highlighted Spanish as a ‘test’, noting that she didn’t like foreign languages that much.

She said she intends to continue her studies at QC in the new school year, noting that she hopes to do well at the A-level exams. Narine’s advice for students preparing for next year’s CSEC examinations is to ‘start studying now’, unlike her (she said with a chuckle), noting that this would be of great benefit to one’s preparations for the examination. She expressed appreciation to her parents, her teachers at QC and most importantly, God.

Esha Homenauth, the daughter of the Director of the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Dr Oudho Homenauth told this newspaper that she was extremely excited about being a top performer at the CSEC examinations. She told Stabroek News by email from Canada, where she will pursue studies in medicine, that she expected to do well at the exams but the results were a little more than what she expected. She noted that the endless nights of studies finally paid off with the assistance she got from her siblings and parents. She said she was proud to know that she and her friends from QC have placed among the top performers at this year’s examinations, noting that her teachers at QC, including Ms Chandra Bhoj, Ms Marks as well as her French lessons teacher Ms Pearson played a major role in her being successful at the examinations. Her advice for students preparing for next year’s CSEC examinations is to start working seriously on their various subject areas with a lot of practice on past CSEC papers. Homenauth expressed thanks to God, her parents, teachers and other persons who assisted her in some way or the other during her preparations for the examinations.

Diamond, East Bank Demerara resident, Tiffany Clementson told Stabroek News during a visit to her home yesterday that her application of the knowledge she had on the various subject areas aided her greatly during the CSEC examinations, noting that she attended ‘a lot of extra lessons’ which made her studies difficult. Nevertheless, she stated that this assisted a lot during her preparations for the examinations. She said her study periods were mainly at night-time, noting that this period is usually convenient for retaining information. The composed 16-year-old QC student noted that the results of the examination were surprising and she was happy that she featured among the top performers. She said she was thankful for the assistance she received from her parents, teachers, including Ms Bhoj, Ms Shivdat and Mr Hector as well as her lessons teachers including Ms Ingrid Fung and Ms Jordan. Clementson said that she will continue studies in the sixth form at QC when the new school year begins this September.

Joshua Bhudial of Belvedere, Corentyne, Berbice hopes to become “someone in the field of science, maybe a doctor”. The youngest of four boys said that his father, Chandradat Bhudial, a guttersmith by trade, had confidence in him. As a matter of fact he said that everyone in his family motivated him, as they expected him to do well since he was always working hard where his books are concerned. “It’s their will that kept me up through the night.” Before he had written his CSEC he told Stabroek News that it was tough because he had a tight schedule to keep: after school he said he had a little snack then tackled his books from about 4 to 6 pm took a bath, and at about 7 pm he continued with his books. He acknowledged that he did attend extra lessons. Joshua said that he knew he would have been successful because of the hard work that he put in. he told this newspaper that he had applied for a place at the University of Guyana to study medicine or physics, but would prefer a scholarship to do same. He extended his gratitude to all the teachers at the JC Chandisingh Secondary School who have helped him along the way. Joshua started his secondary education at Linepath Secondary and then at the beginning of his fourth year he attended the JC Chandisingh Secondary School. Joshua also extended his gratitude to his “study mate”, Jessica Bachan, who he said had helped him with past CSEC papers.

His advice to other students is for them to “work hard set goals, try to be ahead of the class by having text books and read up on then. And they should stay with God and he will give them the success.”

According to Davendradat Doodnauth, also called Nigel, of No. 64 Village, Corentyne   he is “very, very excited. I don’t have words to express myself.” He plans to attend the University of Guyana and study Chemistry. He said his books are his friends. “I take studying as my hobby”. He also attended extra lessons. Davendradat expected to do well “but not this well. I have always been doing well in class and you know the expectation was always there for me to do well”. His grandmother, Gladys Kalian, with whom

he has been living since he was three months old, said that she is very happy for him. He was never one who would stay home from school and he was always with his books. As she spoke tears came to her eyes. Davendradat goes to Mandir regularly and his prayers for divine intervention have helped him, he said. He advised other students to keep on studying and “don’t let anything get in your way. Not even yourself. Love school, it is a piece of cake”. He extended his gratitude to his grandparent, his mom and dad and “Sir Deodhanie Narine who has been an inspiration for me, especially in Chemistry”.

When Stabroek News spoke with Rajiv Nandalal of Best Village, West Coast Demerara, the 16-year-old said that he was thrilled at the news. Nandalal attended the Saraswati Vidya Nikhetan Secondary school and gained 11 Grade Ones. Although he said that he was thrilled, Nandalal was relaxed and not too fazed by the results. He pointed out however that “it was no walk in the park”. He said he spent many late nights buried in his books.

His grandmother, Savitri Singh, said that she was “very proud” of his success. “It’s through Mother Saraswati blessing he got it,” she said referring to his success. She said that when he got the results he just smiled. Singh also said that she was not surprised when they got a call from one of the newspapers informing them of Nandalal’s results. She said that she knew he was going to do well since he always “did good” and received awards for his performance at his school.

Nandalal expressed his gratitude to all those who helped him achieve his success. “I would like to thank God and my entire family and the principal, Aksharananda and teachers of my school,” he said. The eleven subjects Nandalal wrote were  Mathematics, English A, Social Studies, Information Technology, Integrated Science, Principles of Business and Accounts, Office Administration, Geography and Economics.  He  now turns his focus to his tertiary education. He says that he plans to pursue “something in  business and computer”.

Meanwhile Bishops’ High Tajram Dhanraj could not have received a better birthday present. Dhanraj, who turns 17 today, and lives in Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara could not stop smiling and said that he was “very happy, very happy” with the results. The beaming young man attributed his success to hard work, extra lessons and help from his family and friends.

Dhanraj said that he had worked hard studying when he got home from school and taking extra lessons. Although he identified the shortage of teachers as a challenge, he said that “the school made a great effort to get teachers” so that the students would not be severely affected. “I‘d like to send my sincerest gratitude to the teachers of my school who have taught very well the past five years I have been there,” he said.  He also thanked his friends and family for all their help in the completion of his School-Based Assessments (SBAs).

And his mother, Shamdai Dhanraj, said that she too was very happy with the results. She explained that Dhanraj “always topped in class [and] I had confidence he would make it”. She also said that in relation to his future plans “whatever he want to do I’ll give him all the support”.

Dhanraj said that the exams were “very tough” and he “didn’t expect that I would have done so well”. He wrote eleven subjects gaining 11 Grade Ones and two Grade Twos. The subjects he wrote were Mathematics, English A and B, Principles of Business and Accounts, Office Administration, Economics, Human and Social Biology, Social Studies, Spanish, Geography, Information Technology and Electronic Documentation Management Project. Future plans include either completing CAT/ACCA or self- sponsorship to Canada to pursue studies in business and accounts since he is not sure as yet what he really wants to become

Also expressing elation at his results was 16-year-old Jaikeshan Takchandra of Sisters Village, West Bank of Demerara. The West Demerara Secondary lad said that when he got the news he was running around the Botanical Gardens in excitement with his mother running behind him trying to hug him. The excited Takchandra said that while the exams were very challenging he was expecting positive results. He was not disappointed. He said that while he doesn’t like studying he considered it as one of his needs and it inspired him to study. He said that the challenge posed by other classmates  also inspired him to do his best.

His father, Daniram Takchandra, was overcome with emotion when asked for his reaction saying that it was too much to explain how he felt about his son’s success. His mother, Rupa  Takchandra, however spoke for her husband and said,  “I am so happy and proud and blessed to have him as a child  and I wish him all the  best in his future.”

The young man whose plans include CAPE studies  at Queen’s College and later Civil Engineering at the University of Guyana  wrote 12 subjects in the science stream and gained  11 Grade Ones and one Grade Two. “I must thank all my teachers, [especially] my Math teacher, Sir Harry, class teacher and all my teachers,” he said.
English A
The analysis of the preliminary results showed that the Grade 1 to 3 passes for English A jumped from 27.97% last year to 50.29%. For years, the pass figure had been far below 50%. The result for the all-important Mathematics however remained dismal – 31.46% for Grades 1 to 3. Also below 50% were Caribbean History (43.76%), English B (38.4%), Geography (44.75%) and Information Technology – General (12.5%).

Twenty-seven of the top 97 candidates are from QC, 18 from Bishops’, eight from Anna Regina Multi, Seven from Skeldon Line Path, six from St Joseph High, five from St Rose’s and three each from West Demerara Secondary, Zeeburg Secondary, Saraswati Vidya Nikhetan, New Amsterdam Multi and Tagore Memorial.