By Clifford Stanley
TWO girls, Reanna Nickram and Brianna Rodrigues were the top performers at the 2012 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examinations in Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo). Both pupils of St. Ignatius Primary School secured 523 marks each and gained places at Bishops’ High School in Georgetown.
Speaking about her success, Nickram, who hails from Lethem, said she is looking forward to entering secondary school in September, so she can pursue studies to become an environmental scientist.
“It is my dream to help alleviate the problems the world faces with environmental issues and global warming,” the successful pupil stated.
Nickram said the NGSA had been a big challenge and she is thankful to God for giving her the will and courage to study.
She also expressed thanks to her teachers, Faye Browne and Gwen Phillips; her mother, Rubina Nickram and her father, Kenrick Nickram, who gave her full support throughout her preparations for the tests.
Her equally successful schoolmate, Rodrigues, who is from St. Ignatius, said, in the Rupununi, many people face health problems, especially those who live in the remote areas.
“As such, it is my desire to become a doctor so that I can help those who are in need of medical assistance,” she added.
Like Reanna, Brianna also found the examinations very challenging.
She spent hours studying at home and would retire at eleven o’ clock at nights. Then, every morning before going to school, she spent an hour catching up with her school work.
She also praised teacher Browne as well as her parents who built her courage to study as they were always at her side giving her moral and other support and helping her with her school work.
The two pupils of Region 9 both said they would like to see all youths in the region take their educational studies seriously so that they could become useful in the development of the region.