— produces four of the top 10 pupils in the region

THE Watooka Day Primary School in Linden has again proven itself to be of great potential, stealing the spotlight from Regma Primary School with its exceptional performance at the 2017 National Grade Six Assessment Examination (NGSA).
Watooka Day Primary copped four of the region’s top 10 places and four of the country’s top one per cent at the examinations.

Those students in the respective top four positions for the school are : Miguel Emerson, Vinesha Joseph and Morissa Murray, who were awarded places at Queen’s College and Chelsey Griffith who attained the Bishops’ High.
Top performer Miguel Emerson said he knew he would have done well but not top the region. “I am very elated, my mom always told me to work to the best of my ability and I kept that in mind and I did my best; of course, I had to put away all of my gadgets, I studied every night and I would like to thank my teacher Mrs Retemoyar and my aunt Niomi who came every day to help me study,” the younger posited. His teacher, Diane Retemoyar was happy with the performance of her class.

“We pushed them. I had good parental support so it wasn’t just me alone. I had parents that worked with me and it is as a result of collaborative effort,” the proud teacher said. Comparing this year’s performance to last year’s, she said it is a great improvement and the teachers would have worked very hard.

One Mile Primary School which has over the years battled many challenges has also proven that challenges can be overcome. They took three places in the region’s top 10. Two of those children, Condoleezza De Silva and Micah Ford secured places at Queen’s College while Jamaine Jordon was rewarded Bishops’ High.

Darrell Saul of St. Aidan’s Primary who copped the number two spot for the region, made the school proud this year, and placing it in the country’s top one per cent. Saul also expressed surprise at his performance. “Honestly, I did not expect to do so well in the examination. I had to work very hard, I had to leave for school at eight in the morning and I came home from lessons at eight in the night,” said Saul, summing up some of his sacrifices.

He added: “I also did one hour of revision so I guess all of that hard work really paid off… I would like first of all to thank God and my parents for all that they did for me in the good and bad times, all my teachers and also my lessons teacher for working with me so hard,” the young scholar said.

Saul’s Grade Six teacher, Debra Stephens said she feels very elated not only for Saul but for the school, since it would have gained a place in the national top per cent. As it relates to Saul, she said that she is not surprised with his performance since he is a very hard-working child. “I feel very elated… he is committed and because he is committed and he listens and he takes his work seriously, I know that he would have done well and he has made us proud,” she said.

Sonnay Bacchus gave Regma Primary a sole place in the region’s top 10 with her 514 marks which placed her at Queen’s College.
Meanwhile, the Region’s lone private school Royal Halls of Learning also copped a spot in the region’s top 10 with Metthias Arrindell gaining a place at the Bishop’s High with 510 marks.

This year’s performance has been described as better than last year since last year the region gained four places in the national top one per cent and four pupils were awarded places at Queen’s College.
This year the region almost doubled that performance with eight spots in the country’s top one per cent and seven places at Queen’s College.