Top CSEC, CAPE students future of the Caribbean- President

Georgetown, GINA, December 4, 2013

 

President Donald Ramotar today met with the visiting delegation from the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), as well as students from the region who excelled at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) examinations.

The Head of State told the top students who will be receiving their awards, that they are the future of the Caribbean, and that they should see this achievement as just a beginning. He said that the economies of the future will require highly educated, multi-skilled people.

He explained that some of the most rapidly developing countries of the world such as China, have done so, primarily as a result of the investment made in developing the human capital.

President Donald Ramotar flanked by Education Minister, Priya Manickchand and Registrar of the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), Dr. Didacus Jules with the region’s top CSEC and CAPE students

“It is not the size of the country, but the quality of the people that will propel growth and development,” President Ramotar stated.

He informed that in Guyana, 30 percent of the financing in national budget goes towards the social sector and in that sector, the largest allocation goes towards improving the quality of and access to education.

Meanwhile, CXC’s Registrar, Dr. Didacus Jules said that an important part of the awards exercise is to expose students to whichever country the activity is being held. He too, echoed the sentiment that the top students represent the essence of Caribbean possibilities.

“By giving them this exposure, we want to bring home to them the magnitude of their personal responsibility that lies on their shoulders. They will be the ones that will create the innovations that will propel the Caribbean to a place of competitive advantage,” Dr. Jules pointed out.

He informed the President that CXC is working to facilitate the Ministry of Education’s request to include a Portuguese curriculum; noting that the examination body regards Guyana’s Education Ministry an important partner.

The students were also given the opportunity to ask the President questions on topical and developmental issues after which he was presented with a painting from Dr. Jules entitled ‘Patterns of Nature’.

This year, Guyana copped five of the eight regional CXC awards offered. These are: Overall Outstanding Achievement- Yogeeta Persaud from the Anna Regina Secondary School; Most Outstanding in Humanities- Rafena Mustapha – Saraswati Vidya Niketan; Most Outstanding in Sciences- Cecil Cox – Queen’s College; Most Outstanding in Business Studies – Sasha Woodroffe- Queen’s College; and Most Outstanding in Technical Vocational- Zimeena Rasheed- Anna Regina Secondary School. The other awardees are from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

 

The award ceremony is scheduled for December 5 at the National Cultural Centre (NCC).