For securing first place in the 2018 Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) examination, 12-year-old Saiesh Rampersad requested one reward for his crowning achievement - a new cellphone.
Saiesh’s simple demand did not surprise his parents, Dr Ramchand and Rhonda Rampersad, who broke down in tears yesterday at the Gandhi Memorial Vedic School (GMVS) in Aranguez, San Juan, after Education Minister Anthony Garcia delivered the good news to its principal Keshmani Dhaniram-Gosine.
Saiesh, who wants to become a doctor, passed for his first choice, Presentation College, Chaguanas. He scored a perfect 100 per cent in the exam.
It was double excitement and joy among teachers, students and parents at GMVS, however, as Garcia also announced his schoolmate Jada Ramnath, 12, took second place overall. Jada will be moving on to St Augustine Girls’ High School.
But the news came as a complete surprise to the school and some teachers were seen crying openly in disbelief.
Tying for the third position were Chaguanas Government Primary School (CGPS) classmates and friends Rebekah Macoon, who will be attending St Augustine Girls’ High and Kavel Pereira, who passed for Holy Faith Convent, Couva.
These four students were among 19,139 who wrote the examination in May. A total of 9,694 boys and 9,445 girls sat the test.
Standard Five teacher Neila Kissoon, who will be retiring this year, was credited for Rebekah and Kavel’s success.
In 2011, CGPS student Gabrielle Balgobin placed first in the SEA exam, while Rai Roopchand and Adilah Adams tied for the second spot. These three students were also taught by Kissoon.
Yesterday, the scene at Gandhi Memorial was one of celebration and jubilation as Dhaniram-Gosein credited her staff for their hard work.
“Today, ten years later, we celebrate another milestone in our history…first place once again. Your hard work has paid off. We did it! Emotions are running high,” said Dhaniram-Gosine, one of two Standard Five teachers who taught Jada and Saiesh.
The other teacher is Devika Rajkumar.
Former Gandhi Memorial student Ajesh Rameshwarsingh was the last boy to have topped the SEA examination in 2010. But from 2011 to 2017, girls dominated the exam.
Yesterday, Saiesh broke that trend.
While Jada cried uncontrollably as she was congratulated by Garcia, a smiling Saiesh remained calm and cool.
Seish said he felt “truly elated.”
“I didn’t expect to do so well. It was a long journey but it became easier and easier eventually,” he told the T&T Guardian.
Had it not been for God and his parents, Saiesh said he would not have made it this far, since they have been his pillar of support.
“I want to thank God and my parents.”
Asked what he wanted from his parents for his accomplishment, Saiesh said he had not asked for anything as yet.
“I would ask for a new phone.”
He advised 2019 SEA students not to give up.
Saiesh’s father, an author, said his son was not a materialistic person.
“He asked for the phone. He would get it. He is a focused and thoughtful type of child,” the proud father said.
Ramchand said Saiesh was not even bothered or scared about the SEA results.
“He was not thinking about that. That was the least thing on his mind today.”
When Saiesh is at home, Ramchand said he loves a good game of chess.
“He’s now learning, but he beats me in the game most of the times. As a matter of fact, he is better than me,” Ramchand chuckled.
“I am really happy but I wasn’t really expecting it,” Jada said in the presence of her parents Derek and Elizabeth Ramnath.
Derek said his daughter loves reading.
“She’s a bookworm. It’s hard to get her to part from a book. I think reading had a lot to do with her placing so high up in the exam.”
While Derek was elated at his daughter’s accomplishment, he was indecisive about buying her “a fluffy puppy” which she asked for if she did well in the exam.
Jada confessed to studying constantly to maintain her school grades.
“I really want to thank my parents for pushing me and also my teachers for preparing me for my exams,” Jada said.
At Chaguanas Government, Kavel, 12, was overjoyed by the news.
“I had to work very hard to achieve my goals. My parents always ensured that I did what I was supposed to do,” said Kavel, who will be going on a mini vacation to St Lucia with her parents Neil and Karen Pereira.
Karen said she knew their daughter would have excelled because she kept focused and maintain discipline.
Rebekah, 12, who is determined to become a teacher, said she felt “happy” to have placed third.
Her parents, Simeon and Kaminee Macoon, described their daughter as a hard and committed worker.
“She is always willing to learn. Once you have the right teacher and God at your side nothing is impossible,” Kaminee said.
Rebekah’s reward for doing well will be a trip to Disney World in the US.