Results announced in school exam
The Ministry of Education today released the results of this year’s newly renamed Primary School Examination, or PSE. Of the over 5,000 standard six students who took the test, less than half, 48.5%, scored above the acceptable level of a 50% grade. The students did best on the English and Science sections, with 61 and 57% respectively scoring above the passing grade, but fell down badly in Math with only 37% achieving the minimal level. Top scorer in the nation was 12-year old Peter Enriquez of the James Garbutt Seventh Day Adventist School in Belize City. Enriquez told News Five that while he knew he did well on the May second exam, he never thought he did that well.
Peter Enriquez, 12 years old
“In a way it was easy they had a lot of problems and some of them you had to do a lot of work, especially in the Math Two.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Did you find the reading and the comprehension a bit difficult as well?”
Peter Enriquez
“Most of it was easy. But the hardest ones were the ones you had to try and feel the writers impressions.”
Jacqueline Woods
“How did you prepare yourself for the PSE?”
Peter Enriquez
“Well a group of friends we use to study. They use to come over to my house and we use to study with notes and what all we got from school.”
Jacqueline Woods
“Marva when you received word that your student, Peter Enriquez had scored the highest in the PSE, did it come as a surprise or did you expect it?”
Marva Bennett, Homeroom Teacher
“As a surprise for the highest in the country, but as him being the person gaining for the school, no because he is a very responsible student, he is sharp, he has a God given ability for that type of thing.”
Mrs. Sandra Carr, Principal, James Garbutt School
“I believe that it means a great lot because many times people look at us as a low school, but we here try to do our best and we try to give the children not only for this world but for the world to come and Peter has proven himself in this point. He is a very good student on both sides and that’s what we would like for all students who come here.”
Enriquez will be the 10th student to receive the Jane and Michael Nembhard Award. The award is presented annually to the student who gets the highest overall score. Enriquez also achieved the top grade in English Language, while Vic Chu and Manuel Garcia of Louisiana Government School recorded the highest scores in Mathematics and Science respectively. Tied for second in the overall results were Lina Lee and Juan Ruiz of Mount Carmel Primary in Benque Viejo del Carmen.
