Top NGSA student inspired by past top performers

“I feel excited, I am very, very excited.

“I don’t know how to express this in words,” said 12-year-old Dave Chowtie.

Chowtie tied with Venisha Lall of the Essequibo Coast for the Top Spot in this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

Chowtie, who attended the Graham’s Hall Primary School, said he was motivated to excel in his studies by the past top performers.

“Looking at all the videos of the all the past top performers, I said I wanted to be there someday and that is what kept me going,” he told reporters after the announcement at the Ministry of Education’s National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD).

He noted that he wants to be a doctor when he is older but he has not decided on his specialty.

His parents, Komal and Neela Chowtie, were visibly excited at their older son’s achievement. The couple both hold full-time jobs and said it has not always been easy supporting their child.

“I was getting sick but many times we try a lot and pray a lot for this…even coming on to the exam, I took leave from work just to stay home and relax and visit him at school during the exam time,” Mrs Chowtie said. She thanked God that the hard work paid off.

“Parents play a great role in helping their child,” she added.

Mr Chowtie said that while he expected his son to do well, his achievement is beyond what was expected. He said Dave was always an excellent student but he believes that students should not be pressured to only excel academically.

“Whatever he did was always satisfactory to us because I would always tell him ‘whatever results you get, I will be happy with it’ because this is not the beginning of the road neither is it the end of the road.

“So, we have to keep encouraging all of the children,” he noted.

Four students tied with 530 marks for the No.2 spot. These are Shrirish Persaud of Academy of Excellence, Ethan Bianchini of Marian Academy, Shivalli Challu of Mae’s Under 12 and Ruth Larson of Academy of Excellence.