-top CSEC student for Region Two added to her list

SINCE primary school, Region Two’s top performer at the 2020 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination, Duvina Seurattan known as “Cassie”, has managed to keep her academic performance high by continuously studying and staying focussed.
The eighteen-year-old former student of the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School (ARMS) and resident of Cullen Village, secured 19 ones and two grades two at the examination.
She is extremely happy about her successful performances over the years and told the Guyana Chronicle, during a recent interview, that despite all the challenges she has faced, she somehow maintained the first place position at the end of every school term.

She said her potential was unlocked when she copped the first position for the region at the 2015 sitting of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) with 522 marks. She said although she was awarded a spot at the prestigious top school, Queen’s College, which is located in Georgetown, her mother, Kumarie Seurattan, encouraged her to attend ARMS. She took that advice and attended the Essequibo Coast secondary school. Her mother would later become her biology teacher.
The teen recalled that her days at ARMS were not spent only reading and researching, but she also got the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities such as athletics and debating competitions, and she was a member of the social cohesion club. She believes that for one to become rounded, one must be involved in a wide range of activities such as religion and sports, and one must have a social life.

Seurattan made it clear that she did not regret her decision to pursue her secondary education in Region Two. She said over the years she developed a love for her school, her teachers and her fellow students.
She told the Guyana Chronicle that every year she was honoured at the school’s prize-giving exercise for her efforts during the school year. She

said she has many accolades and awards which are a constant reminder of her successes at ARMS.
The teen who will soon be heading to the University in Canada to pursue studies in Chemical Engineering, recalled that, in 2018, she was again motivated when she wrote the National Grade Nine Assessment. At that national exam, she was a top performer.
She explained to this publication that, as she approached the fifth form, she knew that she had to become even more serious and focus on her studies. She recalled having to give up a lot of activities to study which sometimes lasted for hours.
She said that under her teachers’ guidance she completed all her School-Based Assessment (SBA) and to her surprise submitted them on time.

STUDYING DURING THE PANDEMIC
According to Seurattan, the timing of the pandemic presented challenges. She told the Guyana Chronicle that it struck at the time when she was in full exam preparation mode.
She vividly recalled how concerned she was when she heard that only the paper one and the SBA component were going to be used to determine the final grade. That made her very nervous as she knew she was going to be under tremendous pressure to do well in paper one.
Additionally, she noted that students were required to sit a major examination amidst confirmed cases of COVID-19. She vividly recalled going into the examination room all masked up and with a bottle of hand sanitiser in her possession.

The top student said she was very elated and satisfied that she achieved her ultimate goal, which was to make her parents, school, and her region proud. She related that now that she had completed her secondary education, she would soon depart for Canada to further her studies.
She said her deep love for chemistry and the endless opportunities it can offer, were her reasons for choosing that area of study.
Meanwhile, her mother told this publication that she expected her daughter to perform excellently. The secondary school teacher also spoke of her daughter’s academic success since nursery school.
The teen’s father, Gobin Seurattan, took the opportunity to congratulate his daughter on her outstanding performance.
Headteacher of Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary School, Lalljeet Rooplall, congratulated Seurattan and the other students for their hard work and excellent performance. She added that they have all made the school proud.