PC student tops CAPE

– Anu Dev tied at number two with five ones
President’s College student Shalita Appadu came out on top in this year’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination with six grade ones and one grade two.
In 2011 Appadu who attended the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School attained 15 grade Ones at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination coming in second in the country after Anuradha Dev. Tying for the second position are: Melodie Lowe, Kaleshwar Singh, Prashant Shivdas, Deowattie Narine, Anuradha Dev and Benedict Sukra, all of Queen’s College with five grade ones each.

Preparation

Meanwhile, speaking to Guyana Times, the erudite Dev said preparation for the examination was a challenge as she did not attend any lessons. According to the young lady, she studied with the help of her father and her teachers who again contributed to her success. “Well first of all, I didn’t take any lessons; I did a lot of work at home with my dad by using the CAPE syllabus,” she disclosed.
Dev, who was ordained head prefect at her school, said the opportunity gave her the opportunity to become more organised for CAPE Unit Two as she had to prioritise her work. Elaborating on her home studies, Dev said she and her dad would do online studies and research, but this was a challenge since she had to choose specifically what to study based on the makeup of the CAPE syllabus.According to the young scholar, she was not aiming to top the country, but worked to secure grade ones in the five subjects she sat.  “Well I was aiming to get five ones, had no idea or was I aiming to be on the top but just to pass the five subjects that I did… this is combined with grades from Unit One and Unit Two,” she stated.
Dev wrote biology, chemistry, physics, pure math (all Unit Two) and Caribbean studies this year, and in 2012 in Lower Six Form, she wrote biology, chemistry, physics, pure math and communications studies (all Unit One). Her next step is to move on to Trinidad, where she will pursue her medical studies. Dev was the Caribbean top student when she wrote the CSEC examinations.
Intention
The young woman said her intention is to wait until internship to choose a specialty area; however, she is more inclined to become a paediatrician.
She thanked her teachers, families and friends for their support during her studies, and is advising students sitting next year’s exam to break the habit of procrastination and to manage their time wisely.
“Choose subjects that will mean something to you in future work within your ability,” she said.
Guyanese students have this year contributed to an approximately three percent increase in passes at examination, Education Minister Priya Manickchand revealed on Tuesday. This year 748 students wrote the examinations, eight more than last year.  The pass rate has been recorded as 89.19, as compared to last year’s 86.2.  This year candidates were offered units in 23 subject areas, with each unit comprising three Modules equivalent to 150 credit hours. The Single Unit subjects offered were Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies.   The overall pass rate in 2013 is 86.6 per cent. This is an increase from 2011 when a pass rate of 82.5 per cent was attained and a marginal increase over the 86.2 per cent pass rate in 2012.
In relation to gender, females have outweighed the number of males sitting the exams and have also dominated in recording pass marks. Meanwhile, Queen’s College students account for the majority of the country’s top students in the CAPE exams, producing 11 such students. Completing the remainder in the top five performers are Malinie Tulsie with four grade ones, one grade two and one grade three, Amrita Milling with four grade ones and one grade two and Andy Sattan with four grade ones and one grade two.

By Whitney Persaud | Guyana Times