Senior Reporter
sascha.wilson@guardian.co.tt
Pupils in north and south Trinidad who wrote the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination say they are looking forward to the next chapter of their lives as secondary school students. They would have received their results via the Ministry of Education’s SEA portal.
Yesterday, pupils were celebrating all across the country at schools and places like MovieTowne, among them a group of pupils at Debe Hindu Primary School.
It was a joyous atmosphere with pupils singing, laughing and jumping for joy, having received their results.
“The school did really, really well,” a school official boasted. She said 61 pupils wrote the exam and were all pleased with their results.
Surrounded by her parents Rodney and Ria Arjoonsingh, Rylee Arjoonsingh said she was proud and happy to pass for ASJA Girls’ College.
“I put in the hard work and stayed up late at night to achieve this moment,” Rylee said.
Her father said it was one of the proudest moments in his life, and he thanked the teachers for all their hard work and support.
Meanwhile, it was a double celebration for twin sisters Larissa and Leah Samaroo who were with their parents, Lystra and Ricky Samaroo. Come September the sisters will both be attending Naparima Girls’ High School. Their mother said the preparation for SEA was a lot, but her daughters worked as a team.
“With SEA, it’s an effort with the teacher, the parents, the children. If the children don’t have the support at home, it is harder for them; if they cannot afford extra lessons, it is harder for them. It takes the teacher, principal, and parents to come together to get such amazing results,” she said.
The sisters’ classmate Ethan Rambharose was overjoyed that he passed for his first choice, Naparima College.
“Honestly, I am very happy to be graduating. I am relieved I passed for my first choice. With the support of all my teachers and staff, they helped me ... I was preparing for this since first year and I managed to do it with some extracurricular activities,” Ethan said proudly.
Emerging as the top pupil in his school, San Fernando TML Primary’s Muhammed Fyzool said he was elated when he got the results on Thursday night.
“I jumped for joy. I was so happy,” said Muhammed, who was accompanied by his parents Farah and Javed and his two sisters.
Muhammed’s mother said they were overjoyed and incredibly proud of their son.
Officials at TMP Primary said 40 per cent of the pupils there passed for their first and second choices. No pupil there scored under 50 per cent. There was also an improvement in Mathematics and Creative Writing marks.
Describing her results as amazing, Gabriella Williams is excited about attending St Joseph’s Convent when school opens. Thanking God, her family, especially her grandmother, teachers and principal for their support, she said she made a lot of sacrifices.
Gabriella, who was accompanied by her parents, Nick and Tracey, advised other pupils, “Put God first and really work hard because it will pay off.”
At MovieTowne in Port-of-Spain, Kahira McKnight was celebrating with her school friends from Nelson Street Girls’ RC School. She will be heading to Belmont Secondary School.
“I think I did great. I will like to thank my teacher. She helped me through a lot of stuff,” said Kahira.
Jhareel De Coteau, a pupil of St Mary’s Mucurapo Boys’ RC said he was looking forward to secondary school life at Diego Martin Central Secondary School.
“Sports and more extracurricular activities, and I want to do good in the next five years of my life in secondary school,” he said.
A total of 18,177 pupils wrote this year’s SEA exam.