The Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO) of Industry on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) has recognised 11 students who performed exceptionally at the recent National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).
The awarded students
This is the eighth edition of the award ceremony hosted by the group for “special children who passed the examinations”.
Those honoured on Sunday are Neeraj Jorge, Safiyyah Azeez, Vishnu Persaud, Saif Yawat, Joylon Fernandez, Sarah Khan, Gabriella Dublin, Ali Javed, Deo Narine, Alana Singh, Utaf Abdin and Jaspaul Mangru.
The students, who are all resident in the Industry area, received trophies for their performances.
WPO General Secretary Seila Veersammy congratulated the students for their exemplary performances at the 2019 NGSA and wished them the best as they embark on secondary school life.
Preparing the students for what lay ahead, Veersammy admonished them to always keep their heads held high. In the same breath, the Member of Parliament (MP) called for more sponsorship in order for more students to be recognised.
“This (ceremony) depends solely on sponsorship; if we get more sponsorship, we will be able to shine the light on more children and to give more hope and appreciation to them,” she urged.
Avinash Parasam, a previous recipient of two scholarships from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), shared his experience with the students and urged them to remain humble and to work hard for all of their achievements.
“Practise humility, stay humble. It is very misunderstood as to what ‘stay humble’ means, but being successful doesn’t mean that you should always boast or wearing your certificates on your sleeves; you should remain humble, and once you can do that, you will see how many persons recognise how important you are,” Parasam stated.
Vanessa Benn, sister of former Minister Robeson Benn, in delivering the feature remarks, urged the students to increase their knowledge by continuing to read daily. She further encouraged them to remain proud of where they came from.
“Be proud of where you came from, don’t ever feel that because you are from Industry and not from one of the fancier areas, you aren’t good enough, you are. You have put in a lot of work in preparing for this exam and it is a good time to tell yourself that now I must continue to work hard and to look at the other areas where I can improve. Now you are becoming an adult and you need to broaden your horizon, read and utilise the tools like the Internet that you have available,” Benn urged the students.
Benn also recognised the parents of the students and thanked them for the work and dedication that they put into their children.
“You deserve to be recognised because you not only took the time out to bring your children here today, but you have through your hard work helped them to be here, so thank you.”
