St Mary’s Primary School records success at NGSA 2026

– cops QC, Bishops & St Roses spots

Lightning has struck at St Mary’s Primary School, with two of its brightest young minds delivering exceptional performances at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) under the guidance of Tashauna Tang.
Among the school’s standout performers are Rosaria Giselle Manohar, Tianna Higgins, and Priyanka Roberts, whose dedication, discipline, and determination helped them achieve outstanding results and secure their next steps in education.
Monohar copped the top spot with 481.81 marks, earning her a space at Queen’s College, while Higgins secured 480.77 marks and will attend The Bishop’s High, and Roberts with 478.05 marks, which earned her a spot at St Rose’s High.
For the top student, she earned 122.91 in Mathematics, 120.03 in English, 119.03 in science, and 119.82 in Social Studies.
The young achiever, who was chosen as the valedictorian for her school’s graduation, told this publication in a telephone interview that preparation was a major part of her journey, as she documented her goals and the steps needed to achieve them from an early age.
“The examination was pretty much like any other exam, like all the other Mathematics exams, but it was a little intense because I was feeling nervous. Overall, it was like any normal examination,” Manohar said.
She explained that success required consistency, sacrifice, and a willingness to push through challenging moments.

“In preparation, I would revise a lot. When I came home, I did extra lessons in the afternoon, and my class teacher also kept us back and did remedial work with us. Sometimes it was kind of exhausting, but I kept going. I looked at where I came from and where I was now. The preparation process wasn’t a smooth road, but it wasn’t all that rough because I eventually got used to it,” she added.
For Manohar, the dream of attending the prestigious Queen’s College began taking shape from Grade Three, and she remained focused on achieving that goal.
“It was a great dream. I dreamt of going to Queen’s College since I was in Grade Three, probably, and I was really happy when I found out that I had achieved it,” she said.
To make that dream a reality, Rosaria said she remained committed to her studies and constantly reminded herself of her goal.
“Since Grade Three, I was revising constantly. I had textbooks that I would use to revise, and I kept reminding myself to stay humble and always look for the positive side,” she explained.
The young scholar also credited her success to the unwavering support of her family, particularly her parents, who encouraged her throughout the journey.
“My whole family supported me in general, but my mother and father were really there for me, especially my mother; she always told me that she knew I had potential and that I needed to focus on my studies and use education as more of a hobby – something that I could enjoy,” she added.

Looking ahead, Manohar encouraged other students preparing for major examinations to remain focused, even when the journey becomes difficult.
This publication also caught up with Higgins, who is set to go to Bishops High School after attaining 480.77 marks. She said her success was built on months of preparation, especially with the support and guidance of her mother.
“When it became close to the exam – and even way before that – my mom would sit down with me, and we would study the areas where I was weak; we would focus on those areas, then go back through all the subjects and do a full review. Every day, early in the morning and late at night, we would study together, and she would question me on the topics we had learnt,” she added.
Higgins said Mathematics was one subject she particularly enjoyed because it challenged her to think creatively and approach problems from different angles.
“Mathematics is all about thinking outside the box and finding different ways to solve a problem. I personally like it because it can be easy, and sometimes it gives you a little trick – and I love a little trick,” she said.
The young scholar’s passion for problem-solving also aligns with her future ambition of becoming a lawyer, a career she believes requires similar skills.
“I want to become a lawyer. Mathematics is about solving problems, and if you’re defending someone, you have to look at both sides of the story and figure out what happened. It is basically like solving a crime and defending the person completely,” Tianna explained.
Reflecting on the examination experience itself, Tianna admitted that she felt a mixture of emotions when the big day arrived.
“Honestly, I was nervous. I was nervous, but I was also a bit excited,” she said.
While the journey required sacrifice, Tianna said she remained focused on her goal despite the difficult moments.
“I didn’t really cry, but I did feel sad sometimes because I had to stay up all night studying and things like that,” she recalled.
However, those sacrifices were worth it, as Tianna now looks forward to continuing her academic journey and maintaining her high standards at secondary school.
Tianna also encouraged other students preparing for major examinations to remain committed and push through challenges.
“I want to remain above my 90 percentiles when I get to secondary school, keep working harder, and continue trying to succeed, even when things get hard; you just have to remember your goal and keep working toward it,” she advised.