Eleven-year-old Nalia Rahaman is thrilled at her success at this year’s NGSA. The Westfield Prep student attained what the Ministry of Education today described as a “perfect” score of 529.
Nalia, who hopes to one day become the next J.K Rowling, said her dream has always been to attend Queens College.
“I was very happy and it is what I prayed for in the month of Ramadan. I made lots of prayers to Allah so I was very happy, very glad and very grateful. I had to study a lot and be very disciplined” she told media operatives.
Although she has a perfect score, Nalia said she found her Science and Social Studies paper-two to be a little challenging, but she was happy of her success nonetheless. Planning ahead, if her next dream of becoming an author is not successful, her eyes are also set on the presidency of Guyana.
When asked if her accomplishments entailed long nights of studying, the top students said, “Not really because the latest I went to bed was 10 ‘o’ clock one night. I used to wake up in the morning and pray and then revise because I couldn’t really function revising late at night.”
On the other hand, her mother Nabeenah Mohamed stated, “It is such an honour. Today she’s the top student and not only the top student, but the top student with a perfect score. It was a very tight schedule so it’s like constant revision but Nalia has always been consistent.”
Her advice to parents whose children will be writing the examination next year is to listen to their children and discover strategies which will work in their favour.
“You have to do what is best for your child. You don’t pirate what you see in front of you. Just listen to your child and children should listen to their parents.”
Following closely behind Rahaman is 11-year-old Arthur Roberts of the New Guyana School who said he was “elated” for that which he worked for and got in the end.
“I am proud of myself that I have made it so far and I have got such a high score in this examination,” adding that he has made the sacrifice of giving up his gadgets in order to focus on his studies.
Third place top student, Kadee Ali of Success Elementary attained 524 marks and was outstanding in her narrative essay in the examination. She was asked to read the narrative today at the ceremony held at the National Centre for Education Research Development (NCERD). She said that she was preparing for Queens College since first grade.
“After 16:30 when I finished lessons at school I would go home and study for an hour and a half,” she said noting that she has developed a love for the English language and wants to become a novelist in her adult years.
The success stories of each student are somewhat similar. They all gave thanks to their teachers and parents for their relentless support.
The top one percent was shared with a few students including Cianna Barkoye of North Georgetown Primary who attained 4th place with 523 marks. That space was also shared with Krystal Duncan of the New Guyana School, Esha Lakeram of the New Diamond Grove Primary and Zyia Braithwaite of Success Elementary.
The eighth position was shared among four students including Darren Ramphal of the Leonora Primary who attained 522 marks.
Also, among the top one percent were Natania Kissoon of Success Elementary (522), Saif Azeze of Academy of Excellence (522), Amaya Ramsarup of Green Acres (521), Jaden Vansluytman of Dharmic Rama Krishna (521) and Deevina Chan of the Vreed-en-Hoop Primary with 520 marks.
