Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Ecstatic about securing an Open Scholarship, Faith Sylvan from Shiva Boys’ Hindu College eagerly anticipates diving into her law studies and specialising in Cyberlaw.
She was among four students nabbing scholarships following the 2023 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations.
Sylvan and her classmate Shivani Singh both won Open Scholarships in Modern Studies, Alexia Rajkumar won an Additional Scholarship in Modern Studies and Bradley Pooran won an Additional Scholarship in Creative and Performance Studies. It was the first time in history that the school, located in Penal, attained four scholarships.
Sylvan said she was thrilled to be one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming the best cyber lawyer in this part of the world.
“I decided to come to Shiva Boys to do law. I also did Computer Science because I want to go into Cyberlaw. I am interested in this because we don’t have laws addressing cyber issues and that’s why I am interested in this field,” she said.
The road to success wasn’t without challenges as Sylvan recalled moments of perseverance amid the struggle to balance studies with other activities.
“I had to prioritise and realise that it was important not to get stressed. I would go out and take a run when I get stressed out,” she revealed, emphasizing the importance of managing stress during academic pressures.
Meanwhile, Rajkumar said she too faced challenges with time management.
“I never thought I would reach this far at this level. My sister who is older than me is my biggest inspiration. She attended Shiva Boys and she always talked about the teachers and how great they were,” she said.
Rajkumar said both parents Neil Rajkumar and Alison Jopher spent a lot of time abroad and her grandmother Kairoon Rahamut helped her cope with her studies.
“This scholarship makes things so much easier financially,” she said.
Meanwhile, Open scholarship winner Shivani Singh showered praises on her teachers. She thanked her parents Neisha Harrilal and grandfather Krishna Harrilal for always being there for her. Saying she always dreamed of being a lawyer, Singh said she was thrilled to hear that Shiva Boys was offering law.
“Getting a scholarship seemed far-fetched. This is an ease of the mind. The fees were a headache and now that I got this scholarship, it will make life easier,” Singh said.
Bradley Pooran, whose father Joseph Pooran is a wholesale market vendor, said he too was grateful for the scholarship. Bradley expressed gratitude to his sister Britney who helped him with his schoolwork.
“This scholarship means I can study anywhere in the Caribbean. This is an opportunity that I am very thankful for,” he said happily.
Meanwhile, principal Dexter Sakal said it was the first time that the school ever won four scholarships.
“We are thrilled to announce that four of our students have achieved scholarships. It’s a testament to the dedication of our students, the relentless support of our teachers, and the commitment of our parents,” Sakal said.
Law teacher Jason Sammy said their success was the result of teamwork.
General secretary of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha Vijay Maharaj lauded the students saying: “The Education Board of the SDMS is elated that they did tremendously well. The fact that the school is less than 25 years old and is still in partially makeshift buildings says a lot about the dedication of administrators, teachers, students and their parents.”
Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal also extended congratulations saying: “These are deserving returns for an institution whose students continue to work hard. Our community is extremely proud of the scholarship winners and the entire student body. Shiva Boys and other schools in rural districts often face additional challenges in our education system. The scholarship achievement is a source of pride and inspiration.”
