PROPOSALS have been advanced for the two “top” Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) performers for 2020 to share the accolade and gold medal.

On Friday, attorneys representing parents of students Ameerah Beekhoo and Aaron Subero, sent their suggestions to the Education Minister in separate letters.

Beekhoo’s attorneys, Anand Ramlogan, SC, and Jared Jagroo, suggested awarding the two students with gold medals – one for Top Male and the other for Top Female performer – based on the final results. Beekhoo was announced as the top scorer for the SEA in October 2020.

Subero’s legal team has said the Fatima College student, who emerged with the highest marks in the exam after a review of his marks was done, was willing to “share” the top award with Beekhoo.

His parents are challenging the ministry’s decision to not recognise his achievement. In a pre-action letter, attorneys Rishawn Eccles, Tynneille Tuitt and Cedric Neptune said the decision by the ministry to rescind the President’s Medal (Gold) to him, “seeks to ignore” his actual scores, “diminish his educational achievements,” and deny him the recognition for scoring the highest.

THREATS OF

LEGAL ACTION

The attorneys called on the ministry to allow him to share the top performer award, threatening to approach the courts for an injunction. They also said they intended to file judicial review proceedings for declarations of unfairness, unreasonableness and irrationality.

The ministry was given until 2 pm on Friday.

Newsday understands the ministry provided a response in which it asked for additional time to provide a more comprehensive reply to the legal letter.

The matter is likely to engage the attention of the court over the weekend if there is no compromise. Beekhoo is expected to accept the President's Medal (Gold) at a ceremony on Monday at President's House in St Ann's.

In the letter, Eccles made it clear they did not wish to diminish Beehkoo’s accomplishment, however, a serious mistake was made by not properly recognising Subero’s accomplishment.

Eccles also said the decision also had the potential to “divide sectors in the society and put an undue amount of anxiety and pressure on students who already did exceedingly well.”

The attorneys’ letter, which was also copied to President Paula-Mae Weekes warned that the issue “could unavoidably tarnish even the Office of the President as there could be public outcry on behalf of both parties which would serve to undermine the prestigious nature of the event.”

On March 31, Subero, a former student of Maria Regina Grade School in Port of Spain, who passed for his first choice – Fatima College, received an invitation from acting Chief Education Office Lisa Henry-David to attend the ceremony on Monday at President’s House for the President’s Medal (Gold).

On that same day, Beekhoo also received a similar invitation but was told she would receive the President’s Medal (Silver) for placing “second” at the SEA 2020.

Attorneys for Beekhoo’s parents immediately wrote the ministry questioning th