St Paul’s Primary School student Madison Smith has accomplished her goal of scoring full marks in Mathematics in this year’s Barbados Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (BSSEE).
She was one of just two students to get 100 in the subject, out of the 3 000-plus students who sat the examination.
The Queen’s College-bound student told the media on Tuesday, after the results were released, that she spent many hours completing past examination papers, extra homework, and revision as she prepared for the exam.
She credited her accomplishment to her teachers and her mother, Kimberley Smith.
The proud mother said that preparing her daughter for the BSSEE was not difficult, considering that she enjoyed learning and even wanted to attend school on bank holidays.
“So, preparation for Madison to me was very simple. We took it easy and we used balance. We did work but we also had time for play so that she would relax. Everybody who studies knows that studying is very difficult and in order to do very well, we must let the brain rest for a bit, do something pleasurable. So, I would let her do activities like riding her bike and going to ballet which she loves, and I found that that helped her to remain interested in learning and wanting to do well,” Smith said.
She added that while English was her daughter’s favourite subject, she was pleased the child aced the Mathematics paper.
“I was just really happy to say Madison did so well in her Mathematics. She did well in Grammar as well, but I just wanted to bring it home to her that maths is king,” the overjoyed mother said.
Meanwhile, Acting Principal of St Paul’s Primary School Joan Collymore told Barbados TODAY she was extremely happy with the school’s performance in this year’s BSSEE.
She said they performed creditably and she was particularly happy that Smith got a perfect score in Mathematics.
“The teachers would have worked hard and, despite the challenges, they encouraged the children to do the same. I am really happy about St Paul’s Primary today,” Collymore said. (AH)
