By Sandra Singh Friday, July 4 2008

According to the official list of the top SEA rankings obtained by Newsday, 204 students attained 95 percent and higher in the examination among which there were 48 ties and the rankings were listed from one to 201. However, unlike the past two years when the full merit list was recognised, the ministry will only honour the rankings up to 100.

When Hazel Manning, wife of Prime Minister Patrick Manning, was the Education Minister a decision was taken to celebrate all of the students who attained at least 95 percent since the difference in the marks was small. In some cases a student placed higher than another by only a hundredth of a mark.

An education official said a recommendation to recognise the achievement of all students who made the percentages was approved by Cabinet in 2006.

“In keeping with the ministry’s motto of ‘Excellence in Education’ a proposal was sent to Cabinet in 2006 for not only the top 100 students to be recognised but for students scoring 95 percent and above to be honoured,” said the official.

The official said Hazel Manning saw this as a motivating factor and was in keeping with the context of quality in education.

The 100th ranking this year went to three students, Reanna Jugmohan of Arima Girls’ RC Primary School, Sinead Simmons of Montrose Government Primary School and Brendon Creed of Newtown Boys’ RC School who each scored 246.92 and tied for this position.

However, Ajay Maraj of Chaguanas Government Primary School attained 246.91, a mere .01 difference in the mark. He was ranked 103 and did not qualify for the top 100 merit list. Maraj passed for Presentation College, Chaguanas.

Included in the list of 204 students scoring 95 percent and higher was Gandhi Memorial Vedic APS Primary School student Davendra Maharaj who attained 246.20 in the exam and placed 149th in the rankings. He will attend Hillview College in September. He was one of five students from Gandhi Memorial, including this year’s top SEA student Ajay Rameshwarsingh, who placed among the rankings of 201 but he fell outside of the group of 100 and was not recognised by ministry officials when the results were announced at the school last Thursday.

Sasha Ramdhan of Montrose Government Primary School, one of three students who scored 245.64 points each to attain the rank of 201 passed for St Augustine Girls’ High School but would not be among those officially recognised on the top merit list. More than 200 students who scored 95 percent and over were honoured last year.



SEA Ranking 100-201

Rank Student Name Weighted Marks Primary Name

100 RE-ANNA R JUGMOHAN 246.92 Arima Girls’ R.C.
100 SINEAD N D SIMMONS 246.92 Montrose Government
100 BRENDON N CREED 246.92 Newtown Boys’ R.C.
103 AJAY D MARAJ 246.91 Chaguanas Government
104 ASHTAK M MAHARAJ 246.88 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
104 DANIEL R MC SWEEN 246.88 Rousillac Presbyterian
106 CHAD F KANHAI 246.85 Curepe Presbyterian
106 JOHNATHAN J BHARATH 246.85 Maria Regina Grade
106 CHELSIE ROCHFORD 246.85 Specialist Learning Centre
109 ESTHER S MARCANO 246.79 Jordan Hill Presbyterian
109 VAUGHNELLE T RAUCEO 246.76 Arima Girls’ Government
111 A N RAGOONANANSINGH 246.76 Gasparillo Hindu
111 AVINASH S MANO 246.76 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
111 MUSTAFA K NAKHID 246.76 San Fernando Boys’ R.C.
114 YASMINA U FARRELL 246.72 Specialist Learning Centre
115 SAFIA ALI 246.70 Charlieville A.S.J.A.
115 TORI M JOSEPH 246.70 Sacred Heart Girls’ R.C.
117 KAI I ALLEYNE 246.66 Diamond Vale Government
118 RICHARD RAMRATTAN 246.63 Exchange Presbyterian
119 KIANDA A KALLOO 246.61 Montrose Government
119 CHARNELL K LUCIEN 246.61 Montrose Government
119 KIERAN J BASHEER 246.61 Newtown Boys’ R.C.
119 VASHA K MAHARAJ 246.61 San Francique Hindu
119 DARIAN S SINGH 246.61 St. Xavier’s Private
124 RUQAYYA GHANY 246.54 San Fernando Muslim (A.J.S.A.)
124 JULIET J R CAMPBELL 246.54 St. Joseph’s Girls’ R.C.
126 SAIANNA R SOLOMON 246.52 Princes Town A.S.J.A.
126 SIDDEEQ A SHAKOOR 246.52 San Fernando Muslim (T.M.L.)
128 PRIYA C POLLARD 246.50 Exchange Presbyterian
129 PRIYANKA S RODRIGUES 246.47 El Dorado Hindu (South)
129 NEIALA H PIARALAL 246.47 Warrenville Presbyterian
131 KRYSTAL G DHANIRAM 246.45 Agostini Settlement K.P.A.
131 WHITNEY C GRIFFITH 246.45 Newtown Girls’ R.C.
133 MANASA MATHANGI 246.36 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
133 RUTHVIK P AVVARI 246.36 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
133 LISA-MARIE RAMLAKHAN 246.36 Maria Regina Grade
133 SAMIYAH Z MOHAMMED 246.36 Montrose Government
133 DE LEON ALEXANDER 246.36 Newtown Boys’ R.C.
133 ANEES T ALI 246.36 San Fernando Muslim (T.M.L.)
133 VARAAD H MAHARAJ 246.36 Specialist Learning Centre
140 ALISHA A BRUCE 246.32 St. Gabriel’s Girls’ R.C.
141 SHAUEEL R PERSADEE 246.29 Montrose Vedic (A.P.S.)
141 SARAH BALKARANSINGH 246.29 Princes Town Presbyterian No. 1
141 CELEENA A MOHAMMED 246.29 Rio Claro Muslim (A.S.J.A.)
144 JOEL P BALKARAN 246.25 Montrose Government
144 CHNIQUE MARAJ 246.25 Sangre Grande Hindu
144 RANJEEV KISTO 246.25 Sangre Grande Hindu
147 SHENICE L NYACK 246.23 Rio Claro Muslim (A.S.J.A.)
148 FAITH R SOOKRAM 246.22 Brothers Presbyterian
149 DAVID D ROBERTS 246.20 Dinsley/ Trincity Government
149 NIRVANA RAMSAMOOJ 246.20 Exchange Presbyterian
149 BRANDON H BANKAY 246.20 Freeport Presbyterian
149 DAVENDRA V MAHARAJ 246.20 Gandhi Memorial Vedic
149 DEVANTE I LALLA 246.20 Jerningham Government
149 BRANDON L JAMES 246.20 Rosary Boys’ R.C.
149 KATHRYNA G ROACH 246.20 Specialist Learning Centre
156 DANIELLE J BERAHZER 246.16 Arima Girls’ R.C.
157 ALEX P ROSE 246.13 St. Xavier’s Private
158 RUDY P PHAGO 246.11 Clarke Rochard Government
158 GEEREVAN I MAHARAJ 246.11 Curepe Presbyterian
158 RIONN GAJADHAR 246.11 San Fernando Boys’ R.C.
161 BRANDON K BABOOLAL 246.09 Chaguanas Government
162 ALIMAH RAJACK 246.07 Princes Town Presbyterian No. 1
163 D MULCHANSINGH 246.04 Carapichaima A.S.J.A.
163 VINAI RAM 246.04 Chaguanas Government
163 MICHAEL A RAMNANAN 246.04 Chaguanas Government
163 ANRIANA K JALSA 246.04 Curepe Presbyterian
163 KIRSTEN A BAIJU 246.04 Eniath’s Preparatory
163 LIA D ROSS 246.04 Maria Regina Grade
163 STEFANIE J MOHAMMED 246.04 Orange Field Hindu
163 VANISHA C NANAN 246.04 Princes Town A.S.J.A.
163 AALEYA K CHANDLER 246.04 Sacred Heart Girls’ R.C.
163 JARED A COOKE 246.04 Sevilla Private
163 NAVEETA C MOHAN 246.04 Simbhoonath Capildeo
163 J DHANUKDHARRIESINGH 246.04 Vistabella Presbyterian Sch
175 TSELI B ROBERTS 245.98 La Pastora Government
175 ARIANNE K ALI 245.98 Princes Town Presbyterian No. 1
177 AMANDA S S SEENATH 245.95 Avocat Vedic
177 GABRYELLE M GUNNESS 245.95 Carapichaima R.C.
177 DARIEN C JARDINE 245.95 Curepe Presbyterian
177 CANDICE S RAMNATH 245.95 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
177 PREEYA S RAMLALL 245.95 Montrose Government
177 ADAM S D SUPERVILLE 245.95 Rosary Boys’ R.C.
183 ARUNA A MAHADEO 245.91 Exchange Presbyterian
184 SHANTEL MOHAMMED 245.88 Cedar Groove Private Sch
184 JULISSA D CHABLAL 245.88 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
186 RICHARD R RAMLAL 245.85 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
186 ANNA A MOHAMMED 245.85 Warrenville Islamic (T.I.A.)
188 GABRIELLA S WILLIAMS 245.79 Bishop Anstey Junior
188 VANDANA A MATHURA 245.79 Cedar Groove Private Sch
188 VARUN S SINANAN 245.79 Debe Hindu
188 JOSHUA RAMOUTAR 245.79 Fyzabad Presbyterian
188 EMILY BALKARAN 245.79 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
188 ATEEQ T MUNGAL 245.79 Princes Town Presbyterian No. 1
188 TRISTAN N SANKAR 245.79 Specialist Learning Centre
195 SATYADEVI M MAHABIR 245.73 San Fernando Muslim (T.M.L.)
195 ARIANA C RAMNARINE 245.73 Tacarigua Presbyterian
197 SHAMEEL M KHAN 245.72 San Fernando Muslim (A.J.S.A.)
198 OMARI A BLAKE 245.70 St. Xavier’s Private
199 TIMOTHY A EDWARDS 245.69 Grant Memorial Presbyterian
199 KALEEM F DEOLAT 245.69 San Fernando Muslim (T.M.L.)
201 ESSA A SAMUEL 245.64 Charlieville A.S.J.A.
201 KESS RAMROOP 245.64 Fyzabad Presbyterian
201 SASHA D RAMDHAN 245.64 Montrose Government