By Ma Chee Seng And Neville Timothy Sanders
KUCHING: All of the tense waiting is finally over as students have received their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results last Thursday.
Here are our reporters’ interviews with some of the students.
Ariz Durrani Nasirruddin, an 11A’s achiever from SMK Green Road, expressed his joy, stating he hadn’t expected such an excellent outcome.
“I credit my achievement to doing my homework and devoting one to two hours per day to studying rather than cramming the night before,” he said.
Despite the fact that it may not appear to be much, he believed that the knowledge will ultimately build to the point where the syllabus will become second nature.
Ariz indicated an interest in continuing his education in architecture, claiming that it combines two of his passions — the beauty of art and design as well as the fascinating world of mathematics.
“I’d also like to design amazing landmarks for my hometown of Kuching,” he stated.
He added his parents were his biggest motivators because they had dedicated their time and energy for his schooling.
“Not to mention my classmates who have helped me understand topics I was unfamiliar with and kept my spirits up when school life got me down,” he said.
When asked on his advice for future SPM candidates, Ariz said that they should finish their homework on time because it will free up time for other personal activities.
“While it may appear to be a tedious task, all of the repetitive writing will serve to keep the knowledge alive,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, Bong Bin Yong, an 18-year-old SMK Green Road student, who was surprised by his 9A’s result, said he prepared notes and exercises for all of the subjects.
“My mother has been the most helpful during my SPM preparation, and this drives me because of the effort she puts in to make my schoolwork easier.
“For future SPM candidates, finish all of the homework assigned by teachers as quickly as possible — without questioning if it is truly beneficial to earning good grades — overthinking would slow and undermine our study progress,” he said.
He has yet to decide where he will continue his study, preferring instead to seek for a scholarship.
Sweetie Dephenny Ronny, 18, of SMK Lubok Antu, who obtained 5As in her SPM, said taking the public examination amid the COVID-19 outbreak was difficult.
“Sitting for the SPM during the pandemic was the biggest hurdle; it disrupted my focus, and it served as a series of trials and tribulations for me to reach to this point.
“I have to fight physically and mentally because this success is not easy to achieve,” Sweetie stressed.
When asked how she felt about her results, she said she was proud, joyful, and thankful that her hard work paid off because she received A’s in History, Pendidikan Moral, Bahasa Iban, Geography and Science.
“My family has always been the pillar to my success; they were the ones who encouraged me to work hard.
“They’ve been working hard to ensure that I pass my examinations and achieve my goals.
“Even though it wasn’t much, I’m grateful because they’re always there for me.
“And a million thanks to the teachers I admire and respect for providing me with knowledge for over five years at SMK Lubok Antu,” she said.
With two A’s, SMK St Joseph’s Isaac Law stated he revised the subject the night before the examination to refresh what he had learned in class.
“Aside from that, I glanced through my revision materials and notes for guidance to answer the (examination’s) questions properly.
“I really would like to study medicine, particularly dentistry, because it’s something I’ve always been interested in,” he said.
Law remarked that watching patients smile after a dental appointment provides him joy and satisfaction since it makes them feel secure in their smile.
“My mother was my inspiration, and she told me that if I put my heart into anything, anything is possible,” he added.
When he told his mother about his plans to become a dentist, he said, “I look up to my mom since she’s a very independent and hardworking person.”
He advised future SPM candidates not to be stressed out when studying, since this will prevent them from discovering the genuine meaning of learning.
“Take it easy on yourself and do your very best,” Law said.
