From Kopinang, NGSA top performer wants to be the doctor her village needs

Dena Pablo is an 11-year-old girl from the picturesque community of Kopinang in Region Eight (Potaro- Siparuni). And on Thursday, she was recognised as the top performer for her community and region at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

Pablo scored 484.9 marks, earning her a spot at the St. Joseph High School in Georgetown.

In an interview with the News Room, Pablo said part of the reason why she studied so diligently for this year’s NGSA is because she wanted to one day attend a “town school.”

To clinch a spot at one of the List A schools in Georgetown, Pablo said there were days she attended extra lessons and stayed up till midnight studying.

Now that she has achieved this goal, the young Pablo wants to work towards becoming a doctor one day.

“I want to study to become a doctor…to help my community because my community does not have a doctor.

“I can be there for them when they are ill,” Pablo told the News Room on Thursday.

The girl’s father, Damian Pablo, said she has always been driven and diligent.

According to him, she frequently spoke about her dream of attending a school in Georgetown and she was sure to work towards that goal.

“She said, ‘Daddy, I am going to do it’ and she did,” the proud father said.