Top students named

Anaya Sealy of the People’s Cathedral Primary and Scott Johnson of Charles F Broome Primary are the top female and male performers, respectively, in this year’s Barbados Secondary Schools’ Entrance Examination (BSSEE).

Sealy scored 99 in both Mathematics and English and an A in Composition, and with a converted score of 241.37 will be heading to Queen’s College come September. Johnson scored 100 in Mathematics – one of 35 students to do so this year –, 96 in English and an A in Composition and has been allocated a spot at Harrison College with a converted score of 239.76.

The second overall performer was West Terrace Primary School student Joy Obiora who scored 241.17 and obtained an A in Composition, while third overall was Amirah Griffith of People’s Cathedral Primary with a score of 240.66 and a B in Composition. Obiora and Griffith will attend Harrison College and Queen’s College, respectively.

Addressing the media during a press conference at the Ministry’s River Road, St Michael office where the BSSEE results were announced, Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training Kay McConney pointed out that one legally blind student, Ashton Hoyte, did the exam this year and performed exceptionally, scoring 94 in Mathematics and 88 in English, with a B in Composition. He is headed to Harrison College in September.

Of the 18 early sitters, nine scored above 90 per cent in both English and Mathematics.

This year, 3 170 students registered to write the BSSEE but 12 were absent on exam day due to medical reasons and were later assessed using an alternative paper.

McConney said that 53 requests were made for exemptions and these students were granted permission not to take the examination this year, compared to 23 last year.

“These students will be allocated to institutions which can cater to their specific needs,” she explained.

The Education Minister congratulated all the students who took the exam, reminding them, “It’s not where you go to school but what you do when you get there.”

Questioned about whether there will be a BSSEE in 2024, she said public consultation on the transformation of the education sector still had to happen.

“I would say that once the consultations have concluded, we’ll be able to give you a more definitive answer. I would say realistically, however, if we have not yet concluded on the education transformational proposals, then it is likely that there may be one more [exam]. However, let us reserve our final judgement on that until our public consultations have concluded,” McConney said.