Education Minister Daryll Matthew has congratulated this year’s CSEC awardees for completing their secondary school examinations in an exceptional minor despite being the cohort that started their education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You are the survivors of a global upheaval. You are the cohort – the young men and women who started their secondary education journey amidst a world locked down in fear, uncertainty and isolation. While other generations had the luxury of normalcy, yours began in front of a computer screen, navigating school through the fog of a pandemic,” he started in an address at the annual CSEC prize giving ceremony held on Thursday at the St. John’s Pentecostal House of Restoration.
Having successfully navigated the challenges of COVID-19, Minister Matthew drew the awardees attention to the subject of Artificial Intelligence. “We are standing in the eye of a technological storm,” he noted, “Artificial Intelligence, once the stuff of science fiction, is now shaping how we work, how we learn, how we live.
“AI is now writing books, diagnosing diseases, composing symphonies, and passing exams. Jobs that once felt secure – like travel agents, bank tellers, legal assistants and data entry clerks – are vanishing or being transformed beyond recognition,” he highlighted.
According to the education minister some of the careers that young people may have dreamed of when they entered secondary school, may not even exist five years from now. That, he added, could be frightening.
Despite these developments, Minister Matthew is urging young people not to be fearful and lose hope. “But hear me when I say this – do not fear the change. Because it is not here to replace you. Because while machines can compute, they cannot create with compassion. While AI can write code, it cannot feel purpose. And while technology can simulate emotion, it cannot love, serve, or lead with integrity,” he declared.
The annual CSEC prize-giving ceremony is sponsored by ACB Caribbean and its representative, Efiah Charlemagne-Norbert noted that the bank believes in investing in young people recognising that their success is the bank’s success.
“Today is a celebration of your hard work, your resilience, and your commitment to excellence. You have faced challenges, adapted to change and grown in ways you may not even realise yet. Whether you are heading off to university, entering the workforce, or exploring new paths, know this – your journey is just beginning and your potential is limitless,” she remarked.
During the Ceremony, Sir Clare Roberts, the Governor General’s Deputy, presented the Student of the Year Award to Uchenna Ohaegbulam of the St. Joseph’s Academy. Minister Matthew also presented Ohaegbalum with the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence.
The Student of the year wrote 23 CSEC subjects…graduating with 21 Grade Ones and two Grade Two’s.
Two Baptist Academy students tied for second place; both Kadisha Valerie and Jhorden Mannix passed 20 subjects each with 17 Grade Ones.
