PRESIDENT David Granger has donated $1M to development of the President’s College science department, and has donated a laptop to the College’s Valedictorian, Camroul Hookumchand, who graduated from the sixth form during the college’s 26th Annual Graduation Ceremony, held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre at Liliendaal, ECD on Thursday.Addressing graduates at that ceremony, President Granger said: “You had some difficulties and I tried to speak with your Headmistress to resolve some of the issues from time to time.”

He said he remains committed to assisting the institution, which has a rich history and has managed to produce some of Guyana’s finest citizens.

The President told the graduates that they have completed one aspect of their lives, but their journey to greater things has now begun. He said that as teenagers and young adults, they would have had to surmount many challenges and distractions, but they persevered and have managed to complete their secondary education.

“In (spite of) these distractions, you have all been able to perform well,” the President said, as he explained that, fundamentally, he knows that each and every student has graduated with five standard skills: numeracy, communication, ICT, problem solving, and co-operational skills.

“You also need values,” he advised, and attested that these values, which each student should carry throughout the rest of their lives, are: duty, discipline, identity, integrity and loyalty.

Also addressing the graduates was attorney-at-law and past student of the college, Latoya Roberts, who in her charge highlighted that President’s College students know better than anyone else that racism is a fallacy.

Roberts reminisced on her years at the college, and recalled that within the institution everyone acted like family, in spite of any differences. She recalled incidents of the girls in the dorms sharing their clothing and other items, and the boys and girls coming together to share a meal.

The Valedictorian of this graduating batch, Camroul Hookumchand, shared his experiences and highlighted that graduation was a bitter-sweet moment for them all.

This year, the college earned a 98.23% overall pass rate for CSEC, with top CSEC candidate Afeefah Wickam earning passes in 14 subjects.
For CAPE, valedictorian Camroul Hookumchand received passes in nine units.