ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD Hakim Hawker of Philippi Village, who has topped his school, Kildonan Primary, in Region Six and is among the country’s top performers at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), is now one step closer to fulfilling his dream of becoming a judge.

The lad was awarded a place at Queen’s College after gaining 511 marks at the exam, which was written in July.

Speaking eloquently, Hawker told the Guyana Chronicle that he had originally hoped to cop a spot at President’s College but was extremely excited and pleasantly surprised when he heard his name on the Ministry of Education’s live feed as being among the top one per cent in the country.

He recalled that he had to make sacrifices including lessening the use of his gadgets and screen time, so that he could focus on his studies.

A smiling Hawker credited his success to God, his parents and teachers, especially Miss Shevon Pestano.

As he looked back at the sacrifices he had to make, including missing his favourite game, Roblox, the lad told this publication that it was all worth it.

While he is basking in the glory, he has his eyes firmly set on becoming a judge and is willing to continue to sacrifice as much as is needed to achieve that goal.

“I want to become a judge to help people solve problems and ensure that justice is served. I usually look at a few shows and saw how the judges make decisions and help people, so I want to do the same for as much people as I can as I believe in justice,” he said, adding that his favorite television show is the popular Judge Judy.

His achievement has placed him and his school in the limelight and is testimony of hard work and the ability to adapt to changing times.

“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support and encouragement of my teachers and my parents, especially my mother who worked a lot with me,” he said.

His mother, Yevette Mc Bean-Hawker, a secondary school teacher and curriculum writer for the National Centre of Educational Resources Development (NCERD), celebrated 28 years as an educator with the exciting news that her youngest of three children was among the country’s top performers.

She recalled that during the pandemic, when Hakim was in Grade 5, she took the initiative to devise a study routine from the materials he had at school and from those available online. This entailed her staying up until the wee hours of the morning with him, which ensured he was able to groove into the habit of studying.

Despite being in the profession for almost three decades, Mc Bean-Hawker explained that the methodology used in secondary and primary schools is different and was among the biggest challenges she encountered. However, with the help of Hakim’s teacher, Miss Shevon, they were able to overcome the hurdles, ensuring that her son was guided successfully.

The proud mother advised parents to always be in involved in their child’s school life.

“Be involved in your child’s education even if it’s two hours per day. Take that crucial time with them, spend it with them and let them know that mom and dad are part of [their] education and you will see results,” she said.

Kildonan Primary School, which is located in the Central Corentyne area, has, over the past few years, been churning out good results. This constant improvement has not only seen the school getting a student in the top one per cent this year, but several others copping spots at Grade A secondary schools in and out of the region.

The school’s headmistress, Babita Basdeo, told this publication that she has a talented bunch of teachers with a wealth of experience as well as some teachers with modern and forward-thinking ideas. By giving the teachers the opportunity to put their heads together and present the work in a manner that resonates with the pupils, they are able to make breakthroughs.

She expressed hope that the school will continue to shine. She used the opportunity to encourage parents to play a more active role in ensuring that pupils revise their school work at home.