SOUTHERN PROVINCE

HUYE — The second best student in last year’s ‘O’ level examinations, Sauda Niyigena, was surprised on receiving news of her performance.

"Oh my God, this can’t be true...I can’t believe this,” she screamed as this reporter broke the news of her success to her.

"I was not sure I would perform to this level, I was scared I would fail,” said Niyigena, on phone from her home in Shyrongi in the Northern Province.

Staff at her school, Ecole Notre Dame de la Providence, on hearing the news of their students’ success in the wee hours of Wednesday shouted, "God is great!”

"She was scared! Three days to the national examinations, she came to me crying. The examination fever had gripped her but I encouraged her to concentrate. I am glad she has passed,” said Benjamin Matabaro, the official in charge of academics at the school.

Sister Marie Gorretti Mukarubayiza, the headmistress of the school was beaming with excitement, "I knew she would make it. She panicked a lot before the examinations but we were so close to her. I’m glad she passed,” she said.

"I’m grateful to the staff of my former school; they gave their all for us to achieve our potentials. They calmed me down when the ‘examination fever’ threatened to ruin the effort I had made over the three years,” Niyigena recalled.

School records reveal that Niyigena has been a top performer since joining Senior one. She now has her eyes set on pursuing a science combination at her former school.

"I will return to my former school. I want to do Biology and Chemistry,” she said.

The Ecole Notre Dame de la Providence has been a top performer at national level over the years. In 2004, the school emerged best in the whole country.

This year’s ordinary level examination results reveal a massive improvement in performance. Of the 48,960 candidates who sat for the O’ level examinations, 38,527 passed, which is 78.69 percent of the total number of candidates.

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