P.S.E. scholars honoured for achievements

They say you should save the best for last and so tonight we bring you the best of the bunch… at least, according to their scores on the Primary School Examination, P.S.E., given to all standard six students countrywide. And while Hummingbird Elementary School had the highest overall class score, weighing in at an average of three hundred and twenty-two out of a possible four hundred, Belize Elementary School students garnered six of the top ten spots. Today, twenty-six students from schools all over Belize were recognized for their performance on the P.S.E. News Five was at the Bliss where these high achievers were given their reward: certificates of honour and book vouchers for their first year of high school.

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
?Today was about recognizing, acknowledging, and paying tribute to these people who have excelled. And while we do that, at the same time, I believe it?s very important for us to do so with some level of caution. These students have excelled and done well, we hold them up as shining examples of Belize?s future hope and promise. At the same time, we have to recognize that there are many young people in our educational system who are not performing satisfactorily, so we have to look at that carefully, review it–the exam results–analyze what is happening in the educational system with the curriculum, and I think seriously sit down and address those issues.?

Karla Heusner, Reporting
Those issues not only include discussion about the P.S.E, but wider concerns about the delivery of education to children all over Belize, from the pre-school level to university. Minister of Education Francis Fonseca says the feedback provided by the nation?s educators at last year?s Education Summit has been incorporated into a five year education action plan will require all Belizeans to put education first, and start it early.

Francis Fonseca
?What we need to do is focus very aggressively on the critical priority areas that we have identified, which are early childhood education development. Almost in every case where you meet these students who have excelled, they have had a good, firm, solid foundation at the early childhood education level.?

?Then we have to work on the curriculum, monitoring and assessing the curriculum, ensuring that the curriculum is clear, simple, and is relevant to the needs of our country and relevant to the education of these young people.?

Francis Fonseca
?Jane and Michael Nembhard Awarded to Lilian Shen for top performance in the Primary School Examination on this twenty-third day of June 2005. Lilian we are very, very proud of you, we are proud of your school, Belize Elementary, we are proud of your teachers, proud of your family for the support they have given to you helping you to excel in this year?s 2005 Primary School Examination. We wish you all the best in the future and encourage you to continue to work very hard and continue to make Belize proud. Thank you very much.?

Lilian revealed her secrets for success, which involve no magic formula or special advantages, just dedication to her schoolwork and family support, both immediate and extended.

Lilian Shen, Top Scorer, P.S.E.
?Special thanks to Belize Elementary School, including the Principal, Mrs. Nesbit, the Vice Principal, Mrs. Sharp, and the entire student body, including teachers who expressed such joy and enthusiasm for my success, especially my classmates who encouraged me and cheered for me all the way. Finally, I would like to thank my brother and sister for helping me with my schoolwork, and to my parents for getting me to school on time and making sure I got home early enough so I am able to finish my homework and study. I would like to thank my extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins who encouraged me to do well and cheered my achievement. Thank you all, and have a good summer.?

Karla Heusner for News Five.

A new feature to this year’s P.S.E. awards presentation was the recognition of schools for consistently good performance on the P.S.E. or achievement in the face of difficult circumstances. Grace Primary School, St. Andrews Anglican, St. Paul’s Anglican, Crooked Tree Government School, Biscayne Government School, Solid Rock Academy, St. Ignatius and St. Joseph, Louisiana Government School, Sacred Heart, and Holy Redeemer were recognized as being among the top schools nationwide in terms of P.S.E. scores.