Never give up – top NGSA achievers share lessons behind their success

For Raul Adams, writing the best letter in the 2026 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA)was not a race against time but rather an opportunity to allow his creativity to flow.
Adams emerged as the top performer in the letter-writing component of the English Paper Two examination at the 2026 NGSA, impressing examiners with his ability to structure his thoughts, communicate clearly and bring his words to life.
The examination task required candidates to imagine that their family was planning a camping trip and that they were allowed to invite a friend. Pupils were asked to write a letter explaining why their friend should join the adventure.
For Adams, a student of St Sidwell’s Primary School, the achievement was about making those closest to him proud.
Speaking confidently with this publication about his preparation process, Adams explained that his accomplishment was the result of dedication and determination.

“I’m a very hard-working, ambitious young man,” Adams said. “When I was writing, I just wanted to make my parents proud.”
His success, however, did not happen overnight; he explained that his love for writing was strengthened through additional support, including an online writing workshop conducted by his teacher, who helped him develop his skills in composition and letter writing.

“Keep your confidence up”
The young writer admitted that creating a strong piece of writing does come with challenges, including moments when ideas do not immediately come together.
“Sometimes I get writer’s block. For example, if they ask you to give three reasons for something [specifically in the exam], sometimes I can only think of one reason,” he explained.

However, Adams said he learned to overcome those moments by staying focused and continuing to put the point of his pen into action.
He recalled that his parents played a major role in helping him improve, especially during the early stages of his writing journey.
“My parents supported me a lot. At first, I wasn’t good at writing letters or compositions, but then my dad wrote one, and I learnt from it,” he said.
Despite the pressure of examinations, Adams said writing remains something he enjoys, and he encouraged other students to believe in their abilities.
“Keep your confidence up. If you think you’re not working hard enough, you’ll have to work harder,” he advised.
With his strong foundation in writing and his determination to continue improving, Adams is already looking ahead to the next chapter of his academic journey.

Challenging but rewarding
Meanwhile, for Kaitlyn Gurcharran, success at the 2026 National Grade Six Assessment did not come without sacrifice.
Behind her achievement as one of Guyana’s top-performing pupils were a series of early mornings, late nights, and moments of doubt but with firm family support.
Reflecting on her preparation with this publication, the young student of Mae’s Under 12 Primary said that the journey was challenging but rewarding.
“It was very hard having to wake up early and sleep late, but I pushed through it with the grace of God, of course, and with the help of my family, friends, and my teachers,” she shared.
Despite the pressure of preparing for one of the most important examinations in her academic journey, Gurcharran said she developed perseverance, especially during moments when she questioned whether she could continue.
“When I had to wake up early, I used to think that I should just not do it, but then I remembered that I should continue doing it and keep pushing, and I guess that did show with the results,” she told this publication.
She also recalled the disappointment she sometimes felt when her performance in quizzes did not meet her expectations but said the encouragement from her teachers and parents helped her overcome those challenges.
“When I would get much more wrong in a quiz than I thought I would, I would want to just give up, but then my teachers, my mom, and my dad would remind me that when you fail, you can get back up and do much better. That’s probably what kept me going and helped me face those challenges.”
Looking ahead, Gurcharran already has her sights set on a career in the financial sector, inspired partly by her interest in Mathematics and the example set by her father.
“I find that I really like Mathematics and I’m good at it, so I would like to be a bank accountant or something in a bank when I grow up,” she said.
However, she was quick to point out that her dream is one she developed for herself.
“It’s strictly my dream, but I’ve seen how my father works, and it inspired me a bit.”
Her father, Shawn Gurcharran who is the Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), has played a significant role in her development, especially during the demanding preparation period.
“I look up to him because during the time when I was studying, he would stay up with me. He always has my back; he is kind, and with my family, he always dedicates time. He is very hard-working, and that inspires me,” she explained.
Gurcharran also highlighted the important role played by her mother in helping her achieve her goal.
“My mom helps a lot. She is always there for me and supports me through everything, especially when things get difficult.”
For the young achiever, receiving her results brought a mixture of relief and gratitude after weeks of uncertainty.
She admitted that she became worried after hearing that some students received calls about their performances.
“After the exams, I had to wait so long, and the anxiety would have built up over time, but I remembered that I just had to keep trusting God. I would pray every night, and then the day came. I heard a lot of people got the call, but I didn’t, so I began to worry. But then when the results came out, I realised that I did very, very well, and I really just want to thank God for that.”
Her advice to other students is simple: “Never give up.”
“I would tell them that no matter what you do, if you fall down, make sure you get back up and thank God that you got back up. And if you’re still up and you didn’t fall down, still thank God no matter what you do, because you’re up.”