FOR the second consecutive year, a student from the Essequibo Coast in Region 2(Pomeroon/Supenaam) has topped the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations, this time with a regional record of twenty subjects.
Sixteen-year-old Zimeena Rasheed of Anna Regina Secondary School obtained 18 grade ones and 2 grade twos, making the Essequibo region – as well as all Guyana, proud once again and creating history as the writer of the largest number of subjects written by any candidate at this Caribbean exam, ever.
When Education Minister Priya Manickchand announced the results of the CSEC 2013 examinations at the Anna Regina Secondary School in Region 2, it was the first time the results have been announced outside of the capital city of Georgetown.
Following closely behind Zimeena Rasheed was Yogeeta Persaud, also of Anna Regina Secondary School. This former top student at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) gained the second position in the country with an outstanding 18 grade ones.
The third position was shared by Queen’s College students Phillipe Walker and Akeila Wiltshire, who both secured 16 grade ones and one grade two at the examination.
Cecil Cox and Akash Jairam of Queen’s College gained fifth and sixth positions respectively with 16 and 15 grade ones, 2 grade twos and 1 grade three.
Following closely behind them were their two Queen’s College colleagues Sharmila Ramlall and Shahrazaad Khan, who occupied seventh and eight positions respectively with 15 grade ones and 2 grade twos, and 15 grade ones and 1 grade two respectively.
Sharing the eighth position with Shahrazaad was Crystal Nelson of St. Rose’s High School, who gained 15 grade ones and 1 grade two.
Rounding off the top 10 position in the country were Parmeshivanie Seodat and Rafena Mustapha from the Saraswati Vidya Niketan school, who each gained 15 grade ones.
Addressing the large gathering of parents, teachers, Education officials and media representatives at the Anna Regina Secondary School, Minister Manickchand proudly revealed that there was a marked increase in the number of students gaining eight or more grade ones at the examination.
She said that 231 students gained eight or more grade ones at this year’s CSEC exam, compared to 175 in 2012; and she highlighted that 13,654 candidates sat the examination with a recorded number of 77,920 subject entries, and candidates were offered 34 subjects.
Additionally, of these 231 students, 69 secured 11 or more grade ones, as opposed to forty (40) in 2012.
Minister Manickchand said an analysis of the 2013 CSEC results revealed that the overall pass rate at the general and technical proficiencies for grades one to three was 59.31% as opposed to 58.69% in 2012.
Once again, female candidates outnumbered their male counterparts sitting the examination, with a recorded number of 8,649 females and 5,005 males, and private candidates accounted for 38% of the total entries.
Manickchand also revealed that the overall 2013 grade one to four pass rate was 80.92%, and there was an increase in the number of grade one to three and grade one to four passes.
She further revealed that there was a decline in the grade one to three passes in Mathematics from 29.69% in 2012 to 28.92% in 2013, while the grades one to three pass rate in English A improved from 37.02% in 2012 to 45.69 in 2013.
Responding to questions from the media, Manickchand noted that while she is very pleased with this year’s results, they acknowledge that there’s room for improvement in many areas; and the Education Ministry would have to look at those areas with a view to fixing them.
On the topic of the students’ performance in Mathematics, she related that this is nowhere near acceptable, while noting that this is one of the subject areas that the world is struggling with, and the ministry would have to find ways of making sure Guyana’s children grasp these concepts better, so that they can matriculate at higher rates.
According to her, the results in this particular subject area do not correspond with the investment made by the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Education, since there are numerous measures which were taken to change this.
She informed that in addition to providing materials, such as past papers, the ministry also has in place a system by which teachers have been given a planned weekly syllabus guiding what is taught on a weekly basis, in order for the syllabus to be completed by January of the examination year, and to allow for revision to commence.
Manickchand said that in addressing the issue of students’ performance in Mathematics, the ministry needs to start at the beginning, which includes examining what is being done in primary schools, and also how the teachers are being taught to teach at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).
She said the fact that the top two students at this year’s examination are not from what are termed “top schools” reflects the Government of Guyana’s continuous quest to provide equal access to education to all Guyanese students.
“In fact, when you look at the results even closer, you will understand why we are so very pleased with the performance at this school, because the number of children who matriculated here, the number is very close to schools, and even exceeds the number in schools that we call top schools,” she asserted.
The Education Minister said this shows that if a government delivers services equitably, then people will benefit equitably, and their lives will improve proportionately and equitably, which is exactly what the Government of Guyana is doing, and continues to do.
Excellent performances at this year’s CSEC examinations were recorded in 15 subjects where the grade one to three passes exceeded 75%, and these subjects included Food and Nutrition, French, Information Technology, Additional Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering Technology and Religious Education.
Satisfactory performances were recorded in 16 subjects where the grade one to three passes exceeded 50% while grade one to four passes exceeded 75%, and these subjects included Biology, Caribbean History, English B, Principles of Business, and Social Studies.
Source: https://guyanachronicle.com/2013/08/14/region-2-again-tops-country-in-csec-results-zimeena-rasheed-creates-history-with-20-subjects-18-grade-ones-2-grade-twos-classmate-from-anna-regina-secondary-yogeeta-persaud-gets-18-ones