– says St Rose’s girl who scored the most Grade Ones

WITH 19 Grade Ones and a Grade Two, Fatima Karim of St. Rose’s High in Georgetown, stood at the top of the list when the country’s top performing students at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations were announced Wednesday.With Guyana’s recent big oil find, she wants to become a petroleum engineer and has already decided that she wants to study at the University of Texas at Austin to make her dreams come through; but that’s perhaps after she is done with sixth form and the Caribbean Proficiency Exams, CAPE.

Education officials did not announce a “top performer” but no one chalked up as much Grade Ones as Fatima.

Outspoken, brave and assertive best describes her, but the 16-year-old was not quick to brag about her academic prowess when this newspaper caught up with her.

Modestly, she said that while she worked hard, the credit for excellent performance goes to Allah, her parents and her teachers.

“It’s a great privilege. Thanks to Allah; he has given me this knowledge,” she told Guyana Chronicle in an interview.

She is proud that her accomplishment has put her school again in the forefront, after being beaten by more prestigious schools for several years.

That aside, she said the amount of passes one gets is not something to shout about.
“It does not matter what grades you attained but how hard one had worked for it.”
For Fatima, working hard did not mean having a strict study routine.

“I’m not really a scheduled person but I had to drop a lot of things to focus on my studies.

She attended lessons six days per week, and for sure she took those seriously, but she treasured the time spent with her friends.

‘We were the loudest persons in class!” she confessed, and said that that interaction with the group of friends continued on social media.

When it comes to the subjects, she was furious that she could have attained a Grade Two in Chemistry.

“I’m dead serious; I’m going to review it, because that’s impossible!”
And the performance that surprised her?

“I think my biggest accomplishment is that fact that I passed Office Administration and landed a Grade One,” she giggled.

Expressing gratitude, the top student labeled her teachers as “the driving forces within school” but placed special emphasis on Sir Kester, Miss Success and Miss Johnson.

Fatima urged the next generation of CSEC candidates to remain focused.
“If you plan to write a lot of subjects, you have to stick to it! You have to fight, study and give each subject the same attention.” (Clestine Juan)