Soaring beyond the sky
─ an aspiring pilot is one of Reg. 8’s top students
DPI, Guyana, Thursday, July 25, 2019
After chatting with 11-year-old Nevin McLean, it was evident that his dream is to become a pilot.
The future airman got his first opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a Roraima Airways plane, during a recent visit to the community of Kato on July 22. McLean and several other top NGSA performers of the Potaro-Siparuni Region were awarded tokens, courtesy of the Ministry of Education and bursaries from Ansa McAl Limited at a ceremony held at the Kato Primary School.
The Mahdia, School of Excellence student, gained 461 marks at the recent National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) examination and has been awarded a spot at the Mahdia Secondary School. Young McLean told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that he is excited to begin this new chapter. “I think [secondary school] will go well for me,” he beamed.
McLean was also given a complete tour of the aircraft by Pilot Rasheed Dey who explained the functions and operations of every part of the aeroplane. The lad shared with DPI, his passion to one day get behind the controls and soar among the clouds and see the landscape in all parts of Guyana originated.
He said that this had been his dream since he was three years old. “[I wanted to become a pilot] since I was in Nursery School. It was career day, and I told my mom I wanted to become a pilot, and she said “okay”, he explained. “Well, I love to be in the air, and [just] imagining flying! I like to look at the trees and mountains,” he added.
McLean’s mother, Tirselle John-McLean, said that she is proud of her son and expressed confidence in his abilities. “He says he likes to be in the air. He wants to do the drills and [everything] the pilots would do. He said that would be his career. I said [to him] to you want to choose another option, he said “no”, right through Nursery and Primary and now at this higher level.”
The 11-year-old’s advice to future NGSA students is “success comes through hard work. So, you’ve got to keep working.”
Over 14,000 students sat the National Grade Six Assessment in April. Region 8 is this year’s most improved region with a 10% increase in Maths and increases in other subject areas.
The ministry remains committed to bridging the gaps between hinterland and coastal education and has been taking several steps to ensure this reality.