Aryanna Bascombe Earns Top Spot Among Girls in Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (BSSEE)

St George North MP and Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) General Secretary Toni Moore was touting the rewards of her daughter’s labours on Monday as she copped the top spot for the girls in this year’s Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (BSSEE).

Moore, who rushed to Providence School, the swank private school at Thorpes Cottage, St George after hearing that her daughter Aryanna Bascombe placed first among girls this year, told reporters that she was elated for her daughter who has gained entry to Harrison College.

She scored 99 per cent in Mathematics and 96 per cent in English, with an A in Composition, resulting in an overall score of 246.81.

“It was a shock because at times you have an expectation, but even though you have an expectation that things can go a particular way, when it actually happens there is always that element of surprise,” she said. “I was in a room [today] and everyone around me was saying ‘congrats’, and I am like ‘for what?’ So genuinely I am very proud of her, I am grateful for the effort that she has put in on her own, and also the effort of her teachers here at the Providence School, from day one, that nurtured her in a very positive way.

“Her teachers who provided additional support in lessons are to be credited, but Aryanna is a hard worker and she did what she had to do.”

Moore, who was joined by her brother Antonio Moore and Ayranna’s father, Emmerson Bascombe, joked that the competitive nature between her daughter and her brother was also a factor, she believed, in her success: “Uncle wanted her to go Harrison College, and all she was concerned about was getting a higher average than uncle got when he took the exam.”

When asked what he thought about his daughter’s achievement, Bascombe said: “Aryanna is a very disciplined child; she is very committed to her work, [and] she puts aside all other things when it comes to work. As far as the results are concerned, I am not surprised, I was just hoping I would not have to eat my words because I would always say that she is more advanced than her brother and sister were at this stage, so I am not surprised that she did so well.”

Providence Principal Kiran Mahtani also joined in the celebration.

“I absolutely just had goosebumps, we are incredibly elated,” she told reporters. “We always expected great results from Aryanna. I can’t say that we were entirely surprised that she was the top girl, but we are extremely happy and pleased. She is very conscientious, hard-working, takes feedback very well, would always go to the teacher and ask for clarification, participates well in class, and she is an overall allrounder as well. She participates in swimming and track and field, and I think her results are a true testament to having fantastic support from her parents as well as the teachers here in the school.”

Aryanna had few words about her high scores in the exam but said the test was not difficult. She credited her success to her mother, father and uncle who ensured she kept up with her studies in the months leading up to the May 7 exam.