Inner-city MoBay school salutes top PEP students

Principal of the Barracks Road Primary School in Montego Bay, St James, Maxine Coates-Brown, believes that despite being located between several troubled inner-city communities, the education of the institution's students has not been hampered.

Coates-Brown was celebrating the success of her top-two students in the recently held Primary Exit Profile (PEP) examination. Top female student award went to Kayla Headley, 12, who got 99 in the ability test, and scored 127.3 points to earn a spot at the Montego Bay High School. The top male student, Kashmar Shucon, 12, scored 94 in the ability test, and a total of 123.5 points to earn himself a spot at Herbert Morrison Technical High School.

"We are super elated that we have gotten to highlight the achievement of our institution, in particular the achievements of our PEP students. We have our top boy and top girl here this morning along with their teacher, Ms Peterkin, who has done extremely well amid the circumstances and different hurdles we had to go through during this pandemic," Coates-Brown stated, adding that Kayla and Kashmar had done Barracks Road proud, epitomising the motto, 'Only the Best is Good Enough'. Grade-six teacher Alicia Peterkin said the results of her students did not shock her.

"These two students are always online, on task, participating in every field, and I was looking for it. It was no surprise for me because they are always consistent in their efforts," she said. The students' mothers were also overcome with joy.

Kenisha Simmons-Headley told THE WEEKEND STAR that Kayla, who hails from Mount Carey district in St James, had "done me five proud years at Barracks Road Primary".

"She has been first in her class for almost every year and she has also been top girl at the school for a number of years, and was this year awarded the most outstanding academic student," she stated. Meanwhile, Latoya Davidson, Kashmar's mother, said that he has always been an excellent student.

"Since coming here he has always been on the honour roll from grade one, and has gotten the top-boy award more than once," she said. "He has always maintained a good average, always gets good praises from his teacher, and continues to do well."

Barracks Road Primary is located within the reach of inner-city communities including Heart Street, Barnett Lane and Creek Street. But the institution continues to rise above the difficulties to take top spot among its counterparts yearly.