THE Guyana Karate College, with dojos at the Malteenoes Sports Club, Marian Academy, and the Timehri Community Centre, held its first grading examinations for the year 2012, last Friday at the Malteenoes Dojo, where more than Ninety students were tested and promoted by Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai MS, 9th Degree Black Belt and founder of the International Karate Daigaku. Leading the list of promotions at this grading session were John Fernandes, Managing Director of Astro Arts and a long standing Karateka who was involved in the sport since the 1970s but who took a sabbatical away from the sport, and who was elevated to Nidan (2nd degree black belt) and brown belts John Mc Grath only the second seven year old across the globe under the IKD, Michael Hing, Carlos Gonsalves and Aaliyah Seeram all ranging from eleven to fourteen years old to Shodan (1st degree black belt).
A major highlight of the evening’s procedures was the examining of students of a new and special adult class that was recently set up by the Guyana Karate College.
Leading those promotions for this class were His Excellency Tirath Singh High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Nirmala Basdeo-Persaud, Sharise Halley, Zeleema Rodney, Denzel Mc Bean, Lisa Fraser, Maria Sarran, Ernie Moses and Silas Moses all of whom skipped ranks from 10th kyu to 7th kyu. (White Belt to Orange Belt)
Kancho Frank Woon-a-Tai, as part of a visit to 10 International Karate Daigaku  Caribbean territories from March 2 to April 4, 2012, which included the Bahamas, Antigua, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad, and Suriname, is currently in Guyana and has been focusing on the new IKD examination syllabus and presenting the first batch of Dan diplomas that are to be issued under this new World Karate Organization.
Other exceptional performances at the GKC’s grading examinations came from Daniel Jailall,  Bharat Jhaiant, Kerry Ramkumar , Sashan Ramkumar , Neion Barry, Dianand Dial, Hannah Farinha, and Brittany Ramkissoon  all of whom skipped from 5th to 3rd kyu (Blue to 1st Brown Belts), Suraj Jhaint, Wilbert Douglas who skipped from 6th to 4th kyu, Miriam Chin and Yoshida Seelall from 6th to 4th (B) kyu (Green to Purple Belts) and Chaveer Singh who skipped from 9th to 7th kyu (White with Yellow Stripe to Orange Belt).
The system of belt colours, the one used in Shotokan Karate by the International Karate Daigaku, is based on 20 steps. Ten for the Minor preparatory grades- 10th Kyu through 1st Kyu and a further ten for the Major grades 1st Dan through 10th Dan.