–first student to achieve a perfect score at the NGSA
— Arthur Roberts and Kaydee Ali came in second and third respectively

FOR the first time in the history of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), a student has attained a perfect score.

Nalia Rahaman of West Field Primary scored 529 marks out of a possible total score of 529. The young lady cried tears of joy on hearing the good news.
“I feel very happy! And this is what I prayed for during the month of Ramadan,” she said as she thanked Allah the Merciful, her parents, brother, teachers and cousin who all studied with her.

“School was balanced with fun and games. My mom told me to be disciplined. I was not cut off from anything. I had to know when to put down the remote and do my work,” she said.
Rahaman, who wants to become a novelist, probably the next J.K Rowlin (the author of Harry Potter) and if that does not work out, the President of Guyana.
Coming in at second in the country was Arthur Roberts of the New Guyana School who scored 525 marks.

“I feel really great, I feel glorious… I have to thank God because if it wasn’t for him none of us would have been here. I have to thank my parents and family for their support and investment and all my teachers, classmates and friends who have taught me many things and helped me when I was sad and discouraged. I expected Queen’s College but not this. I was always striving to be the best I could,” he said.

Roberts related that months before the examinations, he sacrificed all his fun activities and is happy his hard work paid off.

He now has his sight set on doing well at secondary school and achieving his dreams of becoming a doctor.

“I believe children are the future and once you are a doctor, you’re helping the children, you could maintain the future of the country and of the world,” he said.
His father, Walter Roberts, said Arthur is a focussed and very religious guy and his grandmother and mother did a great job of keeping him motivated.
Rounding off the top three with just one mark shy of Roberts was Kaydee Ali of Success Elementary, who obtained a score of 524.

Kaydee was overwhelmed and did not know how to describe her feeling.
“I’m nervous and excited; like I’m not even sure how to feel but I’m glad my hard work paid off. I studied every night, but I balanced my extracurricular activities with my books,” she said.

The young lady told this publication that she enjoys reading, and like Rahaman, she hopes to one day become a novelist.

Kaydee won the best Narrative Award for the piece she wrote at the English examination. Her mother, Deeann Ali, told this newspaper that she is ecstatic about her daughter’s performance.

The highest marks that could have been achieved in the various subject areas were: Social Studies, 132; Science, 132; Mathematics, 136; and English, 129.