THIS year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations will see a student from Anna Regina Multilateral School in Region 2 (Pomeroon/Supenaam) writing a record number of 20 subjects. Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, a reliable source from the school who preferred to remain anonymous said that this female student, who is from the science stream, has always performed exceedingly well in both athletics and academics.
According to the source, from the time this student entered the school until now, she has maintained above 90% in examinations and did very well in the National Grade Nine exams.
The source further stated that the student is also a silver medalist in the President’s Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG) programme and has even taken the school to the national level in athletics.
The school has every confidence that she will perform well in all of her 20 subjects. The source observed that while the student is a science major, she was able to write subjects from other streams, such as the business subject, Principles of Business.
This newspaper understands that the student was able to write so many subjects because of recommendations from teachers of these subjects, as well as her desire to sit these examinations, with the support of her parents.
This newspaper would like to take the opportunity of wishing her all the best in her exams.
Meanwhile, in a telephone interview with the Guyana Chronicle yesterday, Superintendent of Examinations, Ms. Saudia Khadir disclosed that approximately 13,500 candidates will be sitting this year’s CSEC Examinations.
According to her, candidates are offered 34 subjects and this year there are approximately 77,400 subject entries.
Ms. Khadir said that the first official CSEC exam will be held on the 22nd April, 2013 while the first written exam will be on the 6th May, with the final written examination on the 14th June.
In the meantime, she was unable to say exactly how many candidates in this year’s exams are from private schools and how many are from public schools.

Region 2 girl topped last year
Last year, 16-year-old Sarah Hakh of Abram Zuil Secondary School, also in Region 2, gained 16 Grade Ones, making her region and Guyana proud by not only topping the country, but also the entire Caribbean.
Also last year 13,878 students sat this examination and excellent performances were recorded in 14 subjects, with Grade One to Three passes exceeding 75%.
Outstanding performances at Grade One to Four were recorded in twenty subjects where the pass rate exceeded 90%, while satisfactory performances were recorded in 16 subjects.  
The overall performances in four subjects were unsatisfactory, with less than 50% passes at Grade One to Three in these subjects.
There was a small decline in the overall performance of students in Mathematics, from 30.35% percent passes in Grades One to Three in 2011 to 29.69% in 2012.
And a significant decline was recorded in English Language from 60% passes in Grades One to Three in 2011 to 37% in 2012.