On Thursday evening, the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) hosted the 2023 Regional Awards Ceremony.
The prestigious event was hosted at the National Cultural Centre where the top performers in the May-June 2023 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination and Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate received awards. Guyana copped eight of the awards.
The students honoured for their outstanding performance were:
• Alex Muntaz, Guyana Anna Regina Secondary School CSEC – Overall Outstanding Achievement, Most Outstanding in Technical/Vocational
• Siddiq Gafar, Guyana I.S.A Islamic School CSEC – Most Outstanding in Business
• Meira Wohl, Jamaica Campion College CSEC – Best Short Story
• Kayla Wright, Jamaica Campion College CSEC – Most Outstanding in Principles of Accounts (ACCA Award)
• Celando Matchevelli, Jamaica Manchester High School CSEC – Most Outstanding in Visual Arts- Two Dimensional
• Deanna Beepath, Trinidad & Tobago Rio Claro West Secondary School CSEC – Most Outstanding in Visual Arts- Three Dimensional
• Naila Rahaman, Guyana Queen’s College CSEC – Most Outstanding in Humanities
• Abigail Stephanas, Guyana Queen’s College CSEC – Most Outstanding in Sciences
• Naresh Jagnanan, Guyana Queen’s College CAPE – Overall Outstanding Achievement, Most Outstanding in Business Studies (ACCA Award)
• Matthew Dunn, Jamaica York Castle High School CSEC, Most Outstanding in History
• Darius Payne, Trinidad & Tobago Naparima College CAPE – Most Outstanding in Natural Sciences
• Rishi Rakesh Pokhriyal, St. Maarten Methodist Agogic Centre Comprehensive Secondary Education CCSLC – Top Male Performer.
The Anna Regina Secondary School on the Essequibo Coast was awarded CXC® School of the Year 2023.
Delivering welcome remarks, the Honourable Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand stated that the ceremony was not just about recognizing academic excellence; it is about celebrating the power of knowledge, the pursuit of wisdom, and the transformative impact of education. She further noted that the awards presented are not just accolades but are symbols of the potential that resides within each student and the promise of a brighter future for the Caribbean region.
Minister Manickchand also acknowledged the pivotal role played by the dedicated educators, supportive families, and the entire academic community whose unwavering support have been instrumental in helping the students achieve their academic success.
The Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips, in his feature address, stated that the success of these awardees serves as a reminder of the immense potential within the Caribbean.
He expressed that Guyana is delighted to host the CXC® Governance Meetings and Regional Awards Ceremony. Prime Minister Phillips further reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to supporting the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC). And pledged to maintain its active participation in the work of the Council.
Chairman of CXC®, Professor Sir Hillary Beckles and Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of CXC®, Dr Wayne Wesley also delivered brief remarks and congratulated the students for their outstanding achievements.