CARISA LEE
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It is no secret that several students who sat the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) in 2020 faced many challenges, the majority brought on by COVID-19. Schools were closed, classes resumed online and the start date for the examinations were pushed back for May/June to July 13.
But amid all the difficulties, students from Trinidad and Tobago excelled in both Unit One and Two of the 2020 examinations.
The results were released by the Caribbean Examinations Council headquarters and revealed students from this country topped and dominated in subjects such as Accounting and Applied Math Unit one. Unit Two for both subjects were no different, as students topped in those subject areas.
Jacelle Chuck and Andrekeila Medford, from Bishop Anstey and Trinity College East, topped Accounts Unit Two. Dave Chandradath Basdeo (Naparima College) placed third and Jesse Dwarika (Miracle Ministries) placed fourth.
Places first to tenth for Applied Math Unit 2 went to T&T nationals. Shawn Samaroo (Naparima College) placed first; Joel Beckles, Abdur-Rahman Mohammed, Varun Ramnarine (Naparima College), Victoria Ahye, Ashley Jokhan, Dana Rattansingh (Naparima Girls’) and Liu Michelle (St Augustine High School) placed joint second.
Other subjects such as Art and Design Unit One, Biology Unit One and Caribbean Studies were also dominated by T&T students.
Eleven of the 107-page document were used to show who ranked highest in Chemistry Unit one, each page had approximately 16 names, 10 were students from Jamaica and the others were from various schools here, all with a number one ranking.
T&T’s Sachin Saisenarine (Presentation College, San Fernando), Justin Francis (CIC) and Karena Lutchman from (ASJA Girls’ High School, Charlieville) ranked number one.
This country also made its mark in technical/vocational subjects, with Jonathan Nancoo, of Presentation College, placing first in Building and Mechanical Engineering Drawing Unit Two and Gideon Matthews, of Polytechnic Institute, ranking sixth in Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technology Unit two.
Tourism and Entrepreneurship were also topped by T&T students.
In Performing Arts Music, Dominique Walters, of Holy Faith Convent, Penal and Joshua Hinds (St Benedict’s College) ranked number one.
But not only colleges made the list for Performing Arts Drama, as Yusuf-Ann Guzman and Uchena Myers, of San Juan North Secondary School, made the list placing fourth.
Cheniecesa Wood, of Rio Claro West Secondary School, got the sixth highest grade for History Unit Two.
First to ninth places were taken by students of Bishop Anstey and Trinity College East for Physical Education and Sport.
Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said, “I am very proud as a citizen of our students who have triumphed over challenge. God bless their efforts and all our students as they continue to achieve in difficult times.
“The online school has been difficult and I congratulate parents and teachers for supporting our students.”
T&T Unified Teachers Association president Antonia Tekah De Freitas congratulated the students and their teachers on “a job well done.”
