KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) on Thursday, January 30 honoured 52 students for their outstanding academic performance in external examinations.

They were awarded during the CPFSA’s 2024 Educational Achievement Awards Ceremony at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston.

A total of 153 students across the Agency’s programmes — Residential Child Care Facilities, Foster Care, Family Reintegration and Supervision Order — sat Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) and City and Guilds external tests last year.

Of that number, 52 gained passes in four or more subjects (48 CSEC and four CAPE students), while 101 youngsters received fewer than four.

Eight of the 52 awardees received special recognition as Regional Top Boy or Top Girl, based on the number of passes and quality of their grades. The overall CSEC Top Boy and Top Girl in the island were also awarded.

There was a three-way-tie for Top Girl, with the three students being Sashauna Brown from Clarendon in the southern region; Renae Hood of Kingston and St Andrew and Janovia Henry of St Catherine, both in the south east region.

Trevaughn Wilson from Westmoreland in the western region was awarded Top Boy.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth, Skills and Information, Kasan Troupe, who delivered remarks on behalf of Portfolio Minister, Dana Morris Dixon, commended the awardees for triumphing over their obstacles in a year when only 18 per cent of CSEC students across Jamaica passed at least five subjects.

“On behalf of our minister, I want to say ‘big up’ and special ‘big up’ to you because it was a difficult year for us in the Ministry and in the Government, because we did not do very well in our gold standard exams. Congratulations to our 52 students; you have made me proud,” she said.

The permanent secretary also commended the CPFSA for its role in the students’ success.

“We are proud of CPFSA. You continue to champion the work of the Government by making sure that the Child Care and Protection Act works. We talk about the three ‘Ps’ in the Act — the participation rights, the provision rights and the protection rights — as well as the undergirding principle of the Act — in the best interest of the child — and that is what you do every day,” she said, adding that $4.7 billion is poured into the CPFSA annually.

For her part, CPFSA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Laurette Adams-Thomas, also commended the awardees for their resilience, describing them as champions who have defied the odds.

“You all are a shining example of what is possible when dedication meets opportunity,” she declared.

Adams-Thomas charged the awardees to continue to take pride in their work, underscoring that, “you are not defined by where you started, but by the dreams you dare to chase”.

— JIS