Sixteen-year-old Yana-Marisa Edwards of Queen’s College has been named the country’s top Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) student.
Yana-Marisa Edwards
An Education Ministry source yesterday confirmed that Edwards is the nation’s top student. The source noted said that at a press conference to present results through the media, Minister of Education Shaik Baksh had given a list of names of students who were vying for the top spot; but had said that the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) had not yet determined the top CSEC student. The media had reported that unofficially Rahul Nehaul Lall was the top CSEC student, since he had received the most grade ones on the list that was provided.
However, Stabroek News understands that Edwards with 14 grade ones and one grade two is in fact the top student. What give her the edge over Lall was her distinctions in two foreign languages: French and Spanish and a double major in Agricultural Science. Her only grade two was in Music.
Stabroek News caught up with the young lady at her school sports yesterday. “I was satisfied with the grades I got but the news made me feel elated,” Edwards said referring to being officially named the top student.
Talking about her tutelage at Queen’s College Edwards said the school goes beyond the ordinary curriculum. “They teach us integrity; self preservation… takes you beyond work and into life itself.”
Edwards said she believed her success was due to a process, which started since first form or even before that. It involved giving up a lot and making a special sacrifice. “And even now CXC is not the end but another beginning,” she said.
She plans to continue in sixth form and do A-levels.
The daughter of physician Dr Morris Edwards and Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, the 16-year-old plans to follow in her father’s footsteps and study medicine. “I have a lot of time to change my mind though,” she said smiling.
Exams results were issued in Guyana on August 21, several days after they were released in other Caribbean territories. When the results were read to the media at a press conference, the exam slips had not yet arrived to be distributed to schools. Baksh had at the time stated his displeasure at the council’s “slothfulness.”
CXC had then reported that an overall two per cent increase in candidates’ performance at the CSEC examinations throughout the region was recorded this year. A press release from the council had said that 62 per cent of the 563,302 entries received acceptable grades.
Congrats to my cousin Yana on her success, I’m proud of you and you’re going to be a successful scientist like I’m going to be. That is our goal like we spoke about when you came to visit me in the US.
I congratulate the young woman on her success. It is always a bit sad, though, that we Guyanese make such a big deal about students who do well in high school, bearing in mind that the best thing excelling at high school gives is eligibility for a good university. Indeed she has potential, but there is always a long way from having potential and having a successful career. She does seem to be well grounded though, and i hope she does not allow this attention to get to her head and keep sufficiently focused so she’d be successful when it really matters.
CONGRATS YANA LOVE LOVE LOVE WE KNOW YOU WOULD MAKE US ALL PROUD ,ALL YOUR FAMILIES HERE ARE CELEBRATING YOUR SUCCESS .KEEP THE GOOD WORK MOVING ,MORRIS AND YONS WE ALL KNOW HOW GOOD AND CARING PARENTS U GUYS ARE SO BIG HUGS AND KISSES TO U YANA U KNOW THAT U HAVE TO JION YOUR OTHER COUSINS HERE IN COLLEGE .YANA BIG SURPRISE COMING YOUR WAY LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE
Congrats to you Yana-Marisa on a job well done. Congrats also to your parents for their due dilligence. Congrats to the other students who strive for success.
Congrats to the staff and faculty at QC and all the other schools across the country who dilligently go about their daily task of preparing our young minds for the future. THANK YOU ALL
Congrats. Ms Edwards for a job well done; Also congrats to all the other students.
Congratulations to Yana and all of the youths on their accomplishments. A job well done to her parents and the educators. Give thanks to the most high for making it all a possibility.
Congrats…i’m sorry for Lall….but i’m glad the ministry stepped up to the plate and corrected the mistake (though not intentional) made by the media.
I only wish the ministry would be more strict in their dealings with the results in Region 6.
Too often (in Reg 6) we find the top student (for CAPE) being declared as one of the rich elite kids….while there are others (poor kids) with better grades who don’t recieve the recognition they deserve, just because the rich have long reached hands and connections with private media houses, which they use to propagate lies!
If you don’t believe me, check Reg 6 CAPE results for 2007/8….you’re likely to find that a certain heiress was declared top after much controversy, although they were students with better grades. The regional education ministry simply turned a blind eye….
I do hope that Ms Edwards supposed position of number 1 in the country is a valid one. Mr Lall obtained 14 ones and 2 twos whereas Ms Edwards obtained 14 ones and 1 two. The Ministry stated that they used the official CXC criteria to determine the winner. However, CXC cleary states that Agricultural Science Double Award is to be considered a single award for the purpose of ranking. Maybe it was Ms Edwards’ two distinctions in French and Spanish that gave her the edge and NOT her double award.
A. Award for Overall Outstanding Achievement
Part I: Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible for this award, a candidate must attain Grade I, at General or Technical Proficiency, in at least EIGHT subjects taken at a single sitting. These subjects must include:
a) English A
b) Mathematics
c) ONE subject from EACH of the following three groups:
i) French, Spanish;
ii) Caribbean History, Geography, Religious Education, Social Studies, English B;
iii) Agricultural Science (Single Award) or Agricultural Science (Double Award), Biology, Chemistry, Human and Social Biology, Integrated Science (Single Award), Physics;
d) ONE subject from any one of the following sub-group(s):
Business Studies
Economics, Electronic Document Preparation and Management, Office Administration, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business, Typewriting;
Technical Vocational Studies
Building Technology: Woods OR Building Technology: Construction, Clothing and Textiles, Electrical and Electronic Technology, Food and Nutrition, Home Economics: Management, Information Technology (General or Technical Proficiency), Mechanical Engineering Technology, Technical Drawing;
Creative and Expressive Arts
Music, Visual Arts, Theatre Arts, Physical Education and Sport;
e) TWO additional subjects chosen from any CSEC offerings, including those listed at c) and d) above.
* For the purpose of ranking, Agricultural Science (DA) will be ranked as a single subject which carries the same weight as all other CSEC offering.
Part II: Ranking Criteria (Overall)
Ranking will be first on Ranking Criterion i) listed below. If a tie-breaker is required, then Ranking Criterion ii) will be considered. As necessary, subsequent criteria will be considered in order to resolve such ties as may arise.
The outstanding candidate will be selected from the eligible candidates who will be ranked in order of
i) Excellence: The total number of Grade Is attained;
ii) Profile Performance I: The profile performance in subjects considered at Ranking Criterion i) above;
iii) General Capacity I-II: The total number of Grades I-II attained;
iv) Profile Performance I-II: The profile performance on the subjects considered at Ranking Criterion iii) above;
v) Total T-score I-II: The total of t-scores for subjects considered at Ranking Criterion iv) above.
Thanks for the education Klutz!!
As guyanese .. at last .. there is good news ..
I was astounded to read how the fine achievements by two high school students can elicit negative contributions about single versus two-parent households, the legitimacy of the results and political theories. Simple and heartfelt congratulations to these two fine young people is sufficient.
Not a lecture just an observation.