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Monica Bodden Reporting
The now famous Vuvuzela or African horn being used at World Cup 2010 was given serious competition this morning as the atmosphere within the Belize Elementary School Auditorium came buzzing to life. It was a kaleidoscope of colors amidst a sea of happy faces as hundreds of proud Belizean educators, parents, children and well wishers gathered to publicly acknowledge the achievements of this year's outstanding PSE performers.

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
"It's always a joyous occasion when we can bring so many students together as well as their parents and their teachers to celebrate accomplishment. There is no doubt that these students have worked hard and have been given the kind of support that they need in order to be very successful at primary school education. And so I take pleasure in sharing this joy with them this morning it's an air of celebration."

Top Scorer in this year's Primary School Examination was Siian Rancharan from the Belize Elementary primary School. Today Rancharan was honored with the Jane and Michael Nembhard award, a laptop computer with printer, a cash award of one thousand dollars and a four year book grant of three hundred dollars per annum.

Siian Rancharan - First Place
"I feel proud of myself and excited since I won this big award. I mean I didn't expect to come first I expected to come at least in the top 30 or close to the top 30 but I still feel proud of myself to come this far."

Monica Bodden
"Ms. Mai how does it feel to be the parent of the number student in Belize?"

Amalia Mai, Mother of Siian
"It's overwhelming i am very proud if Siian he worked very hard it paid off for him so I am very happy to have shared with him this moment today."

Monica Bodden
"Was there anything special as a parent that you had to do for Siian's success?"

Amalia Mai
"Yes, actually he is a very good student but we always have to support him remind him of his assignments make sure he delivers on time, make sure he starts early, keep on top of everything that is happening because he also likes other things not only studies so we had to make sure that his studies are priority to everything else."

Siian Rancharan
"I owe this to my mom and my dad and also my family not only them but it was also my classmates they always supported me throughout the years and I have to say thank you to them be grateful to all their love and support."

Monica Bodden
"Now after the PSE, I mean what next for Siian?"

Siian Rancharan
"Well I guess coming first in high school. Well not only that but I want try in other competitions not only PSE but I feel that it's not going to be my last accomplishment ever but I mean I always wanted to be an over accomplisher but I mean I think I'll do pretty well in high school."

Deanna Gibson of Pancotto Primary School in San Hill topped second place, third place went to Henry Fernandez of Santa Elena Primary School in Cayo and fourth place went to Kelsey Musa of Belize Elementary primary School - each received a mini laptop and a four year book grand of $300 per annum.

Monica Bodden
"Now Deanna first of all you are second best for the PSE in this entire country. How does it feel?"

Deanna Gibson, Second Place
"It feels really good, it's a relief for my hard work."

Monica Bodden
"All excited?"

Deanna Gibson
"Very excited."

Monica Bodden
"When you got the news I mean what was it like for you?"

Deanna Gibson
"I was shocked because I expected to do good but I didn't expect to do that good so I felt good."

Monica Bodden
"What was is like getting prepared for the PSE?"

Deanna Gibson
"Hard work. I literally paid attention in class, anything I didn't know I made sure I asked questions."

Monica Bodden
"Was it nerve wracking the day?"

Deanna Gibson
"It was but I just learn how to sit there and focus and do my work."

Monica Bodden
"Now what's next for Deanna?"

Deanna Gibson
"I am going to St, Catherine's Academy, then I want to go to Air Force Academy and become an anesthesiologist."

And while we are celebrating the worthy accomplishments of some of our most outstanding students, the grim reality is that sum 1300 has failed their P.S.E with averages under 50 percent. A great many won't have the opportunity of moving on to high school this coming September.

Hon. Patrick Faber
"Well indeed the numbers going on to high school have not been satisfactory for many years now and you will understand that it is the push of this administration since 2008 to ensure that more of them get that opportunity to go on to high school. In fact since taking over the Ministry of Education this government has come into play we have institutes the $300 subsidy which is applied nationwide specifically in the south of Belize it's applied automatically to all students who graduate from primary school. In those areas for instance we've seen up to a 7 percent increase in the last 2 years of attendance at the high school level so we are moving in the forward direction. This year again we will launch a initiative that will try to see more of the Belize City area students get into a high school with the help of the Ministry of Education or get into some form of institution where the kids are not just left out there in the cold after they are not given the chance to attend a high school. But you are right it's a situation that is not ideal for us in the government especially in the Ministry of Education but as you may well know this is not a situation that occurred over night and it will take us some time to fix it and we are quite confident that the kind of initiatives and programs that we are putting in place after a few years we will see the kind of education system that we all will be comfortable with. We just need everybody support and attention to make sure that it comes into fruition."

Faber says the Education System on a whole in Belize needs improvement.

Hon. Patrick Faber
"If a child is going to do well in math, science, social studies or English language they need to be able to read and to understand comprehend and we are making a major initiative a major push now in the Ministry of Education by developing a literacy unit that will spread its wings eventually to all the schools in this country. We have pilot programs running now in the Belize City area and also in the Stann Creek area of this country but we intend to roll it out and what this program does basically is capture the problems that children are having in terms of reading and writing at a very early stage, if they can't read at infant 1, infant 2, standard 1, standard 2, we are going to capture it early so it doesn't wait until they get to standard 6 or to first form for us to understand that these kids can't read and then we wonder why they can't do math, why they can't do science and these other subjects."

The other twenty seven students also received certificates of excellence this morning for their outstanding performances and a four year book grant of $300 per annum.