DISCOVERY BAY, St Ann — At eight years old Juzaine Burrows was barely able to read.

She struggled to keep up with her classmates at Glen Preparatory School in Discovery Bay, St Ann. After her mother migrated, her father and siblings filled the gap and helped her master reading. Their hard work paid off and Juzaine, now 12 years old, scored 383.5 out of 400 in this year’s Primary Exit Profile (PEP) series of exams. It was the highest score at her school, said her proud father.

Clarence Burrows showed off test results that show his daughter is highly proficient in all subject areas in the curriculum-based test. He is quite impressed with her accomplishments.

“When the results came out I was over the moon with joy. When I look at where she was a few years ago to where she is at now, she improved a lot — and for that I am really proud,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

“I was surprised but something in me knew she would have done her best because she takes her book seriously. She motivates herself a lot and it adds to her doing well,” he added.

Overwhelmed with joy, Juzaine said she never dreamed she would be her school’s top performer.

“The exam was just like another test for me but I was honestly shocked; I didn’t think I would get the highest score,” she admitted.

She heaped praises and thanks on her relatives for the role they played in her success.

“I would like to thank my whole family, including my parents and my siblings; they played a role in my academics. I feel very appreciated and grateful,” she told the Observer.

Her father, too, said it was a team effort that kept her focused on studying and ultimately led to her success.

“Her mother is not in Jamaica. She plays a part but she’s just not here physically so I try my best to be there for her, with the help of her brother and sister, so she has a good support system. We help her a lot to break down the words so she could read. I pay attention to her as close as possible and make sure she does her homework and have all that is needed for school,” he said.

“It was in her last three years in school that I saw a total difference so I have to say congrats to the teachers at the school as well — they played a good role in assisting her,” he added.

Little Juzaine will be heading to Westwood High School, an all-girl institution in Stewart Town, Trelawny. It has long been her dream.

“When she was younger she saw pictures of her sister in the Westwood uniform and hat. She always said she wanted to go to her sister school and she did achieve it. I am a proud and happy father at this moment,” beamed her father.

He knows this is the start of an even longer academic journey as Juzaine follows her dream of becoming a doctor. He is determined to do all he can to ensure she reaches her goal.

“You can see that she is destined for higher heights; she wants to become a surgeon and I have no doubt she will. I will be there to push her every step of the way,” he promised.