Reanna tops SEA Exams

SCHOOLGIRL Reanna Gobin, 11, a student of Grant Memorial Presbyterian School in San Fernando, is the top student in this year’s Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examinations. She will be attending Naparima Girls’ High School next year. “I am so overjoyed that all the hard work paid off, I thank my parents for supporting me and granting me their time in helping me along with my studies,” Reanna said soon after she got news of her achievement yesterday morning. “I also thank God for my teachers and the principal for all the attention and advice they gave throughout my preparations for the exam. It took a lot of dedication and prayers.”

Education Minister Hazel Manning paid a surprise visit to the school yesterday morning to congratulate Reanna and nine other SEA candidates from the school who placed among the top 100 in the national assessment exam. In a short address after announcing results to the 198 students who sat the exams, Manning said: “I am very impressed with the school’s example of what Government and the Ministry of Education are working to achieve. When we talk of our vision of the holistic development of our children we talk about Grant Memorial — this school shines in the non-traditional subjects such as pan, arts, music and also in the academic subjects.” She congratulated school principal Lennox Sirjusingh, teachers and the Presbyterian Board and urged other schools to follow suit.

“As the Government and my Ministry move forward to reform and modernise the education system, I point out to all other schools to take a look at Grant Memorial and follow suit.” Sirjusingh, who will soon be retiring, declared: “This is the crowning moment of my career.” He said in 2001, when the first SEA exams took place, the school copped the first place overall and this year another student from the school placed first. The other students from Grant Memorial who placed in the top 100 are  Jonathan Maraj, Vaani Mohip, Sinaed Hosein, Vanessa Bhagwat, Vivek Bhogadi, Jailal Dhanpaul, Danielle Low Foon, Akeena Legall and Virender Mahabir. The school, which was established in 1971, has an enrollment of 1,275 students and 50 teachers. On hand at the school to witness the presentation of the SEA results was Rev Rawle Sukhu, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church; PTA President Rooplal Samaroo; School Manager Crystal Boodhan; Director of School Supervision, Roland Rajkumar Maharaj and School Supervisors, Silochan Roopnarine and Roslyn Elias. (See Page 15A)