Cecil Tetteh Kumah, a 16-year-old student of Mfantsipim School, Cape Coast, who emerged overall best candidate in the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) 2020 has made history as one of the few people in the world to have the luxury of 'bouncing' offers from IVY League institutions.

The 16-year-old, who went out of Kwabotwe's National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) team to concentrate on his international exams, will also be presented with an award by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for emerging as the best candidate in Science in a special ceremony on March 11, 2021.

A congratulatory message shared by Aikins Educational Consult, the institution which helped to prepare Mr. Kumah for SAT, has revealed that all marks scored by the candidate were in the 99% bracket, an exceptional performance which attracted offers from top American universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Columbia University in New York.

BELOW IS THE FULL STATEMENT

Every year, the mighty Aikins Educational Consult has the peculiar task of grooming, training, and harnessing students' endless potentials to propel them to the next level of their academic ladder. This is where the colossal giants, undying gods, and hard-boiled immortal brains emerge, and that was where Cecil was discovered - a sixteen-year-old boy who distinctively stood tall among his peers and seniors in both academia and profound maturity, “Efie Nyansa.”

The beauty of these three months of studies lies in the fact that it is not solely for academic work but also to learn about life in general and coexist with rich, poor, smart, and not too smart. This holistic educational experience bridged every gap of difference and fostered the spirit of unity among students from all walks of life.

I was surprised when Cecil opted out of 2020 NSMQ to concentrate on his pursuit into any IVY LEAGUE. I knew it was a done deal for Mfantsipim School if he was in, but he had his plans. He left the team to their fate, paving the way for the six, which would have been problematic. LOL

Months on, SAT(reasoning test) and the subject test came out. My oh my, all scores were in the 99th percentile bracket. (Math 790/800, Verbal 770/800, High math 800/800, and Physics 800/800)

The next hurdle to jump was to choose between MIT and Columbia. His academic prowess was so admirable, to the point where MIT and Columbia Admission officers had to engage in a tug of war to lure this young man into their prestigious institutions.

For the past sixteen years, back to back, our students have won this coveted WAEC award and this year. What baffles me is how a teenage boy who had already gained admission into Columbia University in the City of New York months before taking his WASSCE exams was not distracted by his enviable academic milestone and managed to bag this covetous award when nothing was really at stake for him.

This shows that he is naturally gifted, and we want to congratulate Master Cecil Tetteh Kumah for chalking this proud achievement.