A total of 709 students of 60 English medium schools across the country have received the Sixth Edexcel High Achievers Award 2017 for their outstanding academic performance.

Of them, 55 students obtained the world's highest marks in different subjects, while others achieved minimum seven "A" grades in international General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) and four "A" grades in A Levels.

Edexcel, a brand of Pearson, the largest awarding body in the United Kingdom, in association with British Council distributed the awards by organising a ceremony at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital on Saturday.

Apart from the international high scorers, 81 students from primary and lower secondary level, 460 from GCSE and 113 from A Levels received the awards for their brilliant results.

Speaking at the ceremony, Harish Doraiswamy, vice-president of Pearson Schools and Qualifications in South Asia, said the students worked very hard in the exams, and their efforts were recognised through the awards.

“These students will make the image of Bangladesh brighter and better around the world in future,” he said. He also congratulated the students, their guardians and teachers on the outstanding results.

Andriani Papapericleous, director of examinations at British Council Bangladesh, urged the students to gather more knowledge beyond the textbook to make their future brighter.

She also appreciated the efforts that the students gave in the exams.

Barbara Wickham, a director of British Council Bangladesh; Derek Richardson, a vice president- of Pearson UK; Saidur Rahman, country manager of Pearson Bangladesh; and Abdullah Al Mamun Liton, regional development manager of Pearson Bangladesh; also spoke.