Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Before the accolades, trophies and near-perfect Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) score, Ethan Ramlakhansingh was simply “Master Ethan”—the polite, steelpan-playing boy who was just as eager to help a classmate.
The San Fernando TML student, affectionately nicknamed “Harry Potter” by classmates because of his hair and academic brilliance, emerged as his school’s top performer and one of the highest SEA student in T&T, earning a near-perfect score.
Yet, despite his remarkable achievement, those who know the 11-year-old best say he is distinguished not only by academic success but also by his kindness, humility and willingness to encourage others.
He became a familiar face at San Fernando TML not only for his academic excellence but also for his musical performances, often representing the school on the steelpan. As valedictorian, he walked away with several trophies, capping off an extraordinary primary school journey.
“I am always available to anyone for advice, help and encouragement along the way. Knowledge doesn’t disappear when you share it—it multiplies. My wish is for everyone to succeed,” Ethan said.
That philosophy earned him the admiration of classmates and teachers alike. During the demanding months leading up to SEA, Ethan regularly encouraged his friends and helped them through difficult lessons.
He shared a particularly close bond with Standard Five teachers Imshaz Hosein and Shazara Mohammed, while acting principal Wahida Mohammed-Narine watched him blossom into one of the school’s finest ambassadors.
Despite the enormous expectations surrounding SEA preparation, Ethan told Guardian Media he refused to let academics consume his life.
“I devoted 100 per cent of my time and attention in the classroom to academics so that during breaks, I was able to play with my friends and, after school, still had time for my favourite physical activity, cricket, as well as some video games and rest,” he said.
“The after-school lessons also helped to reinforce the work done during the day, leaving the remainder of the afternoon for activities of my choice.”
For Ethan, music became far more than an extracurricular activity.
“Music has always been a form of relaxation for me. I have performed on multiple stages and I think that pressure helped me manage the stress of SEA.”
He believes his years of musical training also sharpened his academic abilities.
“I think music has helped me academically, especially in Mathematics with pattern recognition,” he said, expressing gratitude to music teacher Candice Achaiba.
His love for cricket also kept him grounded. One of his happiest memories came after SEA when he represented SporTT.
“My fondest memory was playing cricket for SporTT in the term after SEA. The camaraderie with my fellow teammates made it enjoyable, even though we lost one of the matches,” he recalled.
Behind his success, Ethan said, stands a close-knit family that prioritised love over pressure.
His father, emergency medicine consultant Dr Andre Ramlakhansingh, of the San Fernando General Hospital, and his mother, Dr Desiree Boodoo, deliberately created a home where Ethan and younger sister Evianna could thrive academically while still enjoying childhood.
“We tried to create a loving environment at home where the children are able to express themselves,” his parents said.
“We also ensured that Ethan and his sister were involved in multiple extracurricular activities. We encouraged spending quality time with friends and family. My wife, Desiree, made a lot of sacrifices to ensure she was always present, and a great deal of Ethan’s success is due to her,” Dr Ramlakhansingh said.
He said the siblings share a special bond. Ethan teaches Evianna music as they attend lessons together, and the pair often play road cricket while maintaining what their father describes as a healthy academic rivalry.
Rather than pushing their son relentlessly towards academic success, his parents focused on developing his character.
“Ethan has always been a wonderful child,” Dr Ramlakhansingh said.
“His perseverance, determination, humility and ability to balance his many extracurricular activities have always been admirable,” his mother added.
Their advice to other parents is simple: “Do not pressure your children academically. Each child shines in his or her own time and has unique abilities.”
They said faith has also played a central role in Ethan’s life.
Although San Fernando TML is founded on a different faith tradition, Ethan said the school embraced his holistic development and encouraged him to grow into a well-rounded individual.
The greatest lesson he learned during SEA preparation was that success requires balance.
“It was a bit of a challenge maintaining my balance with academics, music, sports and everything else. Sometimes it seemed like all my time had to be devoted to academics, but I learned that balance is key and being well-rounded is very important.”
That lesson now forms the heart of the advice he offers future SEA students.
“Work hard, read a lot, pay attention to your teachers, keep your faith and try to balance academics with physical activity and extracurricular activities.”
He also understands the emotional burden many SEA students carry.
“The biggest challenge is the pressure and the stress that come, whether deliberately or not, from everyone and everywhere. My advice is that balance is key to success.”
Looking ahead, Ethan is preparing to begin a new chapter at Naparima College, following in the footsteps of generations before him. While he remains undecided about his future career, one passion has already emerged.
“I have always been interested in writing as well as music. I am intrigued by the culture and history of Trinidad and Tobago, and that influences my writing.
“I hope to promote the national heritage and culture of Trinidad through my music on the national instrument as well as my writing throughout the world, wherever life takes me,” Ethan said.
