A student, said by the media in Trinidad and Tobago to be a national of that country, has won St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Prime Minister’s Gold Medal for SVG’s top performance in the 2025 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).
Jerrel Insanali, SVG’s most outstanding national scholar 2025, is among 19 students who have been awarded national scholarships, each covering the cost of five years of study at the University of the West Indies (UWI).
He will also receive the Prime Minister’s Gold Medal, along with an EC$20,000 cash prize during the National Schools’ Independence Rally slated to begin at 9 a.m. today (Thursday) at Victoria Park in Kingstown.
Christian Gieowarsingh and Gianna Stapleton, who tied for second place, will each be awarded EC$10,000 in addition to their scholarship.
Triniadian media reports say Insanali, is a former student of Naparima College in Trinidad, who migrated to St Vincent in 2023 with his family.
The Ministry of Education in Kingstown said the theme of this year’s rally is “Cheers to 46: Honouring Our Scholars: Celebrating Our Nation”.
It said the rally serves as a celebration marking the 46th anniversary of Independence while recognising academic excellence across the nation.
The event will showcase homegrown talent from primary and secondary schools, as well as the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.
A highlight of the rally will be the formal recognition of 82 SVGCC graduates who have achieved exceptional academic results in the 2025 CAPE and associate degree programmes.
In addition to the 19 national scholarships, 18 exhibition scholarships will be awarded, each covering three years at the UWI, and 43 bursaries, valued at EC$25,000 per year for three years.
Two special awards will acknowledge outstanding academic accomplishments by students over the age of 21.
Remarks will be delivered by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Myccle Burke, and Curtis King, who has ministerial responsibilities for primary and secondary education.
The feature address will be delivered by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who has ministerial responsibility for post-secondary education.
“The National Schools’ Independence Rally promises to unite students from across St. Vincent and the Grenadines in a celebration of academic excellence and national pride,” the Ministry of Education said.
If this is the case where the child is a graaduate of Naparima College and migrate two years ago, then that is a loophole in the qualifying conditions that must be addressed. Student must have attended at least 5 years continuously to qualify for the award in the future. The Vincy pride in us want to thump our chest and say our education system produced these youths! After all thae scholarships are not fu ded by the Prime Ministers pwrsonal pockets but collectively by ALL tax payers!
Well done to all the students who have worked hard to get to this stage. I tip my hat to Jerrel Insanali, for topping the list, your hard work and dedication have paid off. You all have earned an opportunity to help shape yourselves this world and the future. May God continue to Bless you, your family and the communities abundantly.