Written By Chriseana Ramrekha
WHILE the Education Ministry does not actively encourage students to write a large number of subjects, students who desire and are capable of writing as many as 20 subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination should be supported and encouraged in this regard.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand expressed this view on Thursday last while she was responding to a question from a member of the media at a press conference in the ministry’s boardroom, Brickdam, Georgetown.
When asked if her ministry would be restricting students in the number of subjects they write for the CSEC examination, Manickchand posited that the fact that they have students writing 20 means that they have the capacity to write these many subjects.
“Our policy is very clear. A student would have to show remarkable competence before that student is allowed to write more than 8-10 subjects,” she explained.
Manickchand added that she is not a proponent of the view which says that persons should shut down talent simply because there exists criticism about it, and if there are students who can excel, they should be encouraged.
“If a student can write five subjects including mathematics and English and do well at those, then they should be encouraged and supported to do that. If a student could and wants to write 20 subjects and has demonstrated the ability over a number of years to do well at those, then we should encourage and support them,” she maintained.
She indicated that Guyanese students have over several decades shown that they have the capacity which will catapult them onto the scale of world leadership and they should never be restricted.
“A state has the duty to develop everybody to their fullest potential and if one person’s fullest potential requires 20 subjects then fine,” she asserted.
This year, Zimeena Rasheed of Anna Regina Secondary School in Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam) created history in the Caribbean and topped the country when she wrote a regional record of 20 subjects, gaining 18 grade ones and two grade twos.
This is the highest number of subjects written by any candidate at this examination and when the results of the examination were announced in August, and Zimeena was asked by members of the media what inspired her to write so many subjects, she had said that she simply wanted to make a try and saw it as a challenge that she was willing to face.
It was also announced on Thursday that Guyana has copped five of the eight Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) awards for the best regional performances at this year’s CSEC, and Zimeena copped the award for being the most outstanding in Technical/Vocational.
The award ceremony will be held in Guyana at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) in December 2013.
