Allan-Karate Kid in top SEA 100

Allan Ali is just ten years old and has scored the seventh highest mark in the Secondary Education Assessment (SEA) examination. He passed for his first choice — Presentation College, Chaguanas. His reward for accomplishing such a feat...a trip to Disneyland! “Although Lucia’s (Private School) seemed like the worst place on earth, it gradually became better and better as I saw that all the rules and regulations were there for a good cause,” was Allan’s description of his primary life at the school. “The entire class endured much hard work and practice,” continued Allan, “but we all knew it was for the better. The day of SEA made the class very nervous but when it passed we all rejoiced.” Allan said he wanted to become a lawyer “because I’m very good at debating” although he enjoys chemistry, “I like to mix stuff...I used to make a bunch of stuff and taste it.” His mother, Vashti Ali, said he had a nature table in which he mixed various colourings and blended drinks like Smalta, Shandy, Ginseng and sometimes juice. He also debates quite often with his mom whose stance is “grown-ups have more authority and know best.” But his stance is “not because she’s grown-up, she’s right.” When Allan received the news of his success, he said that his father, Ansarie Ali, “did something that he almost never does...he hugged me!” and when he said this, he was smiling from ear to ear. His mother said that before the results, she had not just her fingers crossed, but everything, and on the day of the results, she could not plan anything because she didn’t know how she would feel.

One wonders at this juncture, how much of this SEA exercise is a parents’ quest and how much of it is a child’s quest. Last week, while travelling in a maxi taxi I overheard a woman telling a man, “Mark pass for Mt Hope Junior Sec and he vex.” The man replied, “Is so?” and the woman continued, “But they ain’t do nothing for him to do better!” Now what is the “thing” that “they” must do to ensure excellent marks? Like the Ali’s, most parents would consider extra lessons. Allan owes much of his skill in composition writing to Nancy Baksh-Mohammed of Freeport who taught him on Saturday afternoons. But while he did well in Language Arts, Allan enjoyed Mathematics and even won the Mathematics prize at Lucia’s graduation last month. Excellent marks also come from the drilling education at primary schools. At Allan’s school, he worked from 7 am to 4 pm in his Prep V (Std 5) year. Allan’s mother wants for “Allan to be materially comfortable and happy in the long run.” And when the crunch-time came, his father pitched in as well, giving him extra Mathematics lessons. One can understand the relief felt from all parties concerned when this karate kid got his first choice. Yes, he is a brown belt (2nd kyu in the art of Karate-doh) in karate, two more notches up the ladder and he will be a black belt. Added to this, Allan is also a Mariner VI in swimming, most consistent student in almost every class at Lucia’s and has a record of perfect attendance at Sunday school and in the prayer and bible study group in the church. There is no denying that Allan has had a perfectly all-round education so far. But, what does Allan really want to do at age ten? “Watch TV and play Game Boy” was Allan’s answer while he was playing a game on his mom’s cell-phone. All this happening, while his mother was expounding that “he (Allan) was made to realise that without God, nothing was possible...the key to success is discipline” and that “It is very important that both parents have a solid input into their children’s education and life as well.”

Allan also receives a lot of support from his extended family, being described as “a blessed and lucky child.” But it was the persistence of the parents “from day one — kindergarten — working hard to make sure he is always abreast with the work,” that kept him an A student. Not only was it the parents’ goal for him to keep up the good grades but also to strike a happy balance with the extra-curricular activities. His mom may be the activator and his dad, the “expector” he expects success. Allan will be eleven on July 25 and a couple weeks after this, he will be in Disneyland and shopping in Miami. What does he anticipate? “Getting a lot of stuff..toys, Game Boy games...” while his mom talks about bag, geometry set, school stuff. Maybe she should throw in some Chemistry kits to continue his fun experimentations? Is SEA any different from CE? Did we say that all children passed? Yes, but there is still the pressure as to “What school did you pass for?” For some students, getting the extra help is within reach and for others it can only be a dream even for a simple thing as having a parent taking an active interest in the child’s life. And to what extent is helping a child a credible thing? Can too much help be devastating? When do the extra lessons stop? What, then, is the standard of learning in the classroom to warrant a dire need for more learning outside? Why do parents after a day’s stressful work pressured into “picking up the slack” in their children’s education? Not meaning to rain on Allan’s parade, but only to shed some blessings, these questions have come to my mind. The legend Bob Marley once said that a whole nation could go astray by the direction given by our leaders. Kill the messenger, but take the message — “Is there something in our vision that deals with holistic parenting or proper educational standards at primary level?” Congratulations to Allan and I believe that being the great debater that he is, he will be able to find his way through the maze of life. My only wish is that he gets his black belt in Karate simply because it was my dream to be a “black belt karatica” and also in this time may prove useful. For his parents, might I suggest getting into the Game Boy games...especially the one with the Home Alone kid; I do enjoy that one.