– mother ecstatic says: ‘Lucky for them they have each other’
Following the announcement of the National Grade Six Assessment, the Barkoye’s family is overjoyed with the news that the youngest of the siblings Samuel Barkoye has topped the country with 525 marks.
Speaking with the Village Voice, Samuel’s mother, Tamika Barkoye said that she is ever so proud of the success of all her children.
She said her eldest, Luana, placed in the top 1% and secured a spot at The Bishop’s High. In 2017, her second daughter, Naomi, placed 16th in the country and was awarded a place at Queen’s College. In 2018, the third Barkoye sibling, Cianna, placed 4th in the country and secured her spot at Queen’s College. Now in 2020, the final Barkoye sibling, and the only boy, copped the top spot in the country.
“I’m very happy, because he is the last child, and my only boy. His sisters would have set the base for him, and we all expected him to do well. But we didn’t expect the first place. He got the support from all of us, especially his sisters, lucky for them, they have each other so they were all able to succeed the way they did with the support of each other,” the proud mother.
She recalled him saying on several occasions that one day he is going to wear QC’s tie or Bishop’s tie like his sisters. Now Samuel will be going to his dream school, sporting the uniform he has been longing to wear.
Tamika also told the Village Voice that during the preparation period for the exams, Samuel played a lot. But she noted too, that he was also very discipline and diligent, and created a balance between studies and play.
“Many parents think that they need to pull their children out of extracurricular activities during exams, but what is really important, is to maintain a balance. Samuel and all his other siblings were still involved in sports and steel pan and things that made them happy, while preparing for their exam, and they all came out quite successful.
For his part, Samuel told the Village Voice that he is very happy that he was able to achieve such a high standard.
“I made sure I had adequate amount of rest, I studied very often, and I also had recreation. You know they say all work and no play makes jack a dull boy, so I had my fair share of play and I balanced it equally with studying,” he said.
The lad said that we was aiming for QC because it was always his dream ever since he learned it was the best school in Georgetown, and because he has two sisters there, who he would love to be with.
Samuel said that he hasn’t established what his dream career is, but knows that it has to be something in the areas of Maths or Science.
He profusely thanked his teachers from his primary school, North Georgetown Primary, especially Ms. Allison Blenman. He also thanked his family, mother, father and sisters who assisted him in preparation for this exam.
Samuel shared the top spot with Rovin Lall from Stella Maris Primary.
