Eleven-year-old Saj Christophe Caesar of Sugar Mill Academy has emerged as the top performer in the 2025 Caribbean Primary Exit Assessment (CPEA), scoring a near-perfect 99.20% and solidifying his place as one of the brightest young minds in the country.
In what the Ministry of Education has described as an “outstanding year of academic performance,” Saj led a strong showing from Sugar Mill Academy, which captured six of the top ten spots in the national rankings. Caesar’s achievement was backed by perfect scores in Mathematics and Language Arts, showcasing a rare mastery across critical subject areas.
Behind him, fellow Sugar Mill students Azeir Kai Lewis and Ezron Nathanael Quashie ranked second and third, respectively, in a top ten list dominated by male students—seven of the ten highest-ranked candidates were boys.
Among the students tying for fifth place were:
Korey Micah Lavia of Lowmans Leeward Anglican
Mason Rayshaud Williams of New Grounds Primary
Raffique Taj Latchman of Sion Hill Government
Adrina Niyoca Ledger of Sugar Mill Academy
Rounding out the top ten were Blossom Petal Mc Calmon of Kingstown Preparatory and Rio Jay Marks-Dasent of Sugar Mill Academy, both in ninth place.
This year’s assessment, taken by 1,682 students on May 14 and 15, saw 1,470 candidates (87.34%) meeting the required standard—slightly below the 87.68% recorded in 2024. The gender split was nearly even, with 722 males and 748 females achieving success.
Excellence Across Subjects
The Ministry also highlighted several students who earned perfect scores in individual subjects:
Mathematics: Saj Caesar, Mason Williams (New Grounds Primary), and Daena Caine (St. Mary’s Roman Catholic)
Science: Raffique Latchman (Sion Hill Government)
Language Arts: Caesar again, joined by Lavia, Williams, Lewis, Miguel Teruel-Marrero, and Caine
Social Studies: A wide list of achievers including Caesar’s schoolmates Ezron Quashie, Adrina Ledger, Rohi Browne, Rio Marks-Dasent, Jacob Hornsey, and Aden Dells—all from Sugar Mill Academy
A Test of Balance and Skill
The CPEA evaluates students through a blend of external multiple-choice exams (60%) and school-based assessments (40%), including projects, writing portfolios, book reports, and practical “Can-Do” skills tasks. The assessment carries a total of 500 marks, and students must earn at least 250 to meet the standard.
In total, 1,689 students registered for the exams, but seven were absent on test day.
The Ministry of Education offered heartfelt congratulations to all students and extended gratitude to educators, parents, and support staff across the country for their unwavering dedication.
