210 students to be honoured for their achievements

~~Adz:Right~~ Roadtown, Tortola - The Ministry of Education and Culture will honour the 210 top achievers of the public primary schools for the school year 2007/2008 at the first Top Achievers Award Ceremony to be held at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College on Sunday, October 12.

A special award will be presented to the students who have maintained their top position for the three consecutive terms (Advent, Lent and Trinity) of the school year 2007/2008.

Permanent Secretary Mrs. Sheila Brathwaite told the Department of Information and Public Relations this initiative is a true reflection of the love and respect the Ministry of Education has for the students and teachers of this Territory. “We honour the hard work, perseverance, brilliance, and desire to excel which is portrayed by our children,” she said.

“We also honour the dedication and patience of our teachers. We celebrate with the parents of these children who gave their best,” Mrs. Brathwaite said, adding, ”I encourage all primary school children to aspire to be the high achievers of their class and to do so with dignity and respect for your classmates.”

She said with the help of the community and parents, the children will excel. “Congratulations to all 210 high achievers for 2007/2008 school year and keep your names on the list,” she said.

The Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Andrew Fahie and Leader of the Opposition Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE will deliver congratulatory remarks at the ceremony.  The guest speaker will be Bishop John I. Cline of the New Life Baptist Church.  The event will be chaired by Acting Chief Education Officer Dr. Marcia Potter.

The Ministry began this initiative in February of this year.  A total of 512 students, who were the top three performers in classes one to five of all public primary schools in the Territory, were rewarded for their excellent performances during the Advent and Lent terms of the school year 2007/2008. 

The top students for the Advent and Lent terms were rewarded with a Geography tour of the islands around the Territory and an extensive tour of Virgin Gorda, respectively.    In addition special recognition was given to those students who maintained the top three positions for both terms.

The mission of the Ministry of Education and Culture is to provide high quality education and rehabilitative services, as well as, to facilitate access to and participation in sports, recreation and culture, in order to enrich the lives of all residents of the Virgin Islands.