Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards 2018 : Mauritian Students Rewarded for Their Achievements

The 12th edition of the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards organised by the Mauritius Examination Syndicate (MES) took place on Thursday 26th July at Ebène.

This awards ceremony celebrated the achievements of Mauritian students who have obtained the merit to reach up to the Cambridge Top in the World, Cambridge Top in Mauritius and those who have achieved outstanding grades in the November 2017 Examination session respectively at O, A and AS Levels in different subjects areas and from a diverse range of schools.

During the awards ceremony, 21 students were awarded in the Top in the World ‘O’ Level and 10 students achieved Top in the World ‘A’ Level. A total of 116 students were awarded for their achievements. Jane Henry, Head of Education Services, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean, Cambridge Assessment International Education stated that the aim of Cambridge International is to give students an informed curiosity and a lifelong passion for learning. On her part, the Minister of Education Leela Devi Dookun Luchoomun highlighted that further to the collaboration between Cambridge and Mauritius, there will be the coming of a Cambridge technical side soon. The Minister stated that what is important is what students do with their knowledge. She appealed to the students to serve their country after their tertiary studies.

Souhayl Ahmad Sooltangos : “Learn from the best people around you”

Sooltangos Souhayl Ahmad, laureate, received the Top in Mauritius ‘AS’ Level in French (Mauritius) and is planning to study Medicine in Bordeaux, France. The student of College du Saint-Esprit said that his secret for a brilliant performance is to learn from all those who are brilliant in the subject, like his teachers, tutors, parents, siblings and peer groups and to combine all the best techniques and then study in his own way. “To achieve high, you must accept the fact that you don’t know each and everything and set on your way to learn from the best,” he advises. However, he is of the opinion that in achieving academic success, one must not forgo social activities like spending quality time with family and friends whenever possible. “One must take some time off to breathe a bit and replenish your energy bank whenever you are worn out,” he uttered.

Aliyah Jownally : “It was lots of hard work”

Student of Dr Maurice Curé State College has been awarded Top in Mauritius ‘O’ Level in English Language (Mauritius) and Cambridge Top in the World ‘O’ Level in Biology. Aliyah says that she made lots of sacrifices. “It was lots of hard work and I dedicated all of my time to my studies. It demands lots of motivation and we have to believe in ourselves. My parents and teachers helped me a lot and I am very grateful to them.” The Grade 12 student states that she plans to compete for a State scholarship. “These awards have motivated me to go further. I wish to pursue a career in medicine,” she shared.

Madhav Samba Babbea : “Practice makes perfect”

Babbea Madhav has achieved Top in Mauritius in History (Mauritius) for ‘O’ level. Contrary to the popular belief that History is a boring subject matter, for him it has been a stimulating experience. “I have learnt a lot about World History and that of my country, too,” he says.  Apart from reviewing his notes, he did a lot of research on his own to deepen his knowledge and in this way, acquired more confidence in answering questions. The Mahatma Ghandi Secondary School student recommends that with unlimited practice, answers ooze from the memory effortlessly in the exams. The adage, “Practice makes perfect,” holds true for him.

Jerry Soo Hon Wah : “Maths is not a subject matter to learn by heart”

Student from a private institution in Port Louis (Boys), Jerry Soo Hon Wah dedicates his success to his parents, his family members and his teachers. He says that he is feeling exalted after he has received the High Achievement Award ‘A’ level in Further Mathematics. “In fact, Maths is not a subject matter to learn by heart. One must rather understand the logic behind the calculations and how to apply it in the real life situations,” he indicates. For those students who are weak in Maths, he advises them to follow the class attentively, as sometimes the teacher explains formulas which are not in the notes or in the book.

Aabid Shameem Shamtaully: “My teacher advised me to understand the theories in my own words”

Shamtaully Aabid was awarded Top in the World ‘O’ Level in Business Studies and Economics. He recognises that these areas require lots of efforts to understand, as the theories are sometimes complex. “My teacher advised me to understand the theories in my own words and reproduce them similarly in the exams,” he explains. Sometimes, he also makes use of the mind-mapping to condense long theories in shorter and colourful notes, which makes memorization easier. “However, I must admit that not all methods work with all students. Each and everyone must try the creative memorizing methods and then select from them the ones which suit one’s personality the most,” advised the student of Royal College Port Louis.

Madhu Jhugroo: “Success is about finding the right balance in life”

Student from Queen Elizabeth College, Madhu Jhugroo bagged the Top in Mauritius ‘A’ Level in Business Studies. “It was hard. I did lots of research work and practised lots of pass exam papers. I believe that Business Studies is a very interesting field, as it helps to develop our critical thinking and our overall knowledge. However, I also dedicated time to doing physical activities such as running and yoga.” Awarded Best Athlete thrice in her college, Madhu trusts that success is about finding the right balance in life. She plans to pursue an undergraduate course in Actuary at the University of Mauritius.

Poorvasha Sukhoo: “Set a goal and work towards it”

Student of Seewa Bappoo State Secondary School, Poorvasha Sukhoo bagged the High Achievement ‘A’ Level in Marathi Language. “I believe that if you set a goal and work towards it, then no one can stop you from achieving it but yourself. I would tell all students to wake up, rise and work towards their dreams. Sometimes my goals scare me and my hopes falter but then I rekindle my hopes by thinking about the only thing that counts, that is my family. I would tell students to let their families be their strength and you will see yourself working ten times harder,” she stated. Poorvasha got a scholarship from the Government of India and flew to Mumbai on the same day to pursue an undergraduate course in Marathi.

Vivekanand Paligadoo: “These awards are the fruits of strenuous efforts”

Vivekanand Paligadoo obtained three awards, namely Top in Mauritius ‘O’ Level in Computer Science, High Achievement ‘O’ Level in Statistics, Top in the World ‘O’ Level in Physics. “These awards are the fruits of strenuous efforts and I feel happy today for having made my country and my family proud of me,” he declares. He believes that anyone who allots the right amount of efforts and discipline can achieve these outstanding awards. Talking about his methods of studying, he says that he copies the difficult answers in big papers and glues them everywhere in his room so that these responses penetrate his mind in less time. The Royal College Curepipe student is thankful to his teachers and parents who have always believed in his abilities and provided him with the right guidance.

Jeunisha Sortheapah: “My parents also made lots of sacrifices”  

Student of Simadree Virahsawmy State Secondary School, Jeunisha grabbed the High Achievement ‘AS’ Level in Telugu Language. She uttered that she prepared herself with the help of her teacher. “My parents also made lots of sacrifices and this strongly motivated me to work harder. During school period, I would not watch television and surfing on social media. It was mostly during the holidays that I would allow myself some leisure time.” Having studied Telugu Language since primary level, Jeunisha explained that she finds the language sweet. “To stand out in a subject, you must above all have a particular liking for it,” she trusts.

Deepty Lakshmi Seewoo: “Do lots of group and collaborative work”  

Student of Rabindranath Tagore Secondary School, Deepty was awarded Top in the World ‘O’ Level in Biology and Geography. She shared that she prepared herself very well especially during the holidays together with her twin sister. “We studied together and prepared many notes. I like Biology, as I learn a lot about how our body functions and as for Geography, I love nature and the environment.” The Grade 11 student has taken Maths, Chemistry and Physics as the Main areas for HSC and Biology as Subsidiary. She plans to pursue her tertiary studies in Biology in Australia. Deepty advises students to do lots of group and collaborative work.

Kurmoo Tanweer Faatimah: “Practice as many Maths exam papers as you can”

For Kurmoo Tanweer Faatimah, award winner in the Top in the World ‘A’ level category in Mathematics, one must have a goal or in mind first to later build a path to the destination. She confides that she knew she would achieve high, based on the efforts she dedicates to her studies.  For her, application of the knowledge acquired is of utmost importance if a student wants to achieve high. The Queen Elizabeth College student shares that her secret to score in Mathematics is to “practice as many exam papers as you can so that all questions appear familiar in the exams, even if you haven’t seen them before.”

Jason Ryan Ah Chuen: “You must have a passion for learning”

The laureate of the State of Mauritius scholarship grabbed four awards, namely Top in Mauritius ‘AS’ Level in Biology and in General Paper, Top in Mauritius ‘A’ Level in Physics and Top in the World in Chemistry. “You must have a passion for learning. When I focus on my studies, I put aside the stress and the expectations of others. I dedicated equal time to all areas and focused on my weaknesses. I also made it a must to dedicate my time to my studies as well as to extracurricular activities and sports.” Flying to Stanford University in the USA to pursue a degree in Computer Science, Jason advises Mauritian students to participate in all extracurricular activities, as these will help them to achieve self-discipline and in their holistic development.