SPM 2013

Some thirty five years ago when my own (what was then the) MCE results came out, I walked to the school by myself. Although the results were made available immediately after start of school office at 8.00am, I did not go to school until after noon time! More on that later...

Now, today - 21st March 2013 - its D-day for Naqiah, my 3rd dotter as she will find out how she'd fare in her recent SPM exam. As I start to write this its already 11.00am.  Nowadays, announcing and handing out of SPM results are done in a grand manner. Much had change since my own experience whereby results were given by the school's clerk in the school's office - I think... hahaha... Well I don't really know because when I wanted to take mine, I couldn't as I owed some monies (school fees not paid - yes we have to pay if I recall correctly ten ringgit per month for the school fees)... hahaha...Had to wait for my Ayah to settle the debt first! Well in fact Ayah was the one whom finally took my MCE result that day. And he was the happiest father and that day was his happiest moment of the year!

While I didn't get to see my results until after I got home later that day, I was already aware of my grade!  Back then, we were less concerned about how many A's or B's or D's... but it was about whether we obtained "Grade one, two or three", with "1" being the highest grade. And what "aggregate" we get was also important.

Well, as I met my classmates when I arrived at the school compound, "congrats" wishes were thrown to me by almost everyone that I met. While it crossed my mind that I could have obtained a good result, I however strongly felt that those friends and classmates were merely mocking me... The thing was... I was a very lazy student and was doing either fairly or badly on all my exams! Good results for me was not getting a Grade 3!  I really had given it my bestest (during exam) and was praying for a Grade 2....

Well it's almost 11.40am now here at the SMKA Seksyen 28 Shah Alam where Naqiah had spend her one year of studies. She was in private religous schools from form 1 to form 4.  After the year end of her form 4, Naqiah wanted to go to the national school...

The guest of honor finally delivered his speech and announced that there are 6 students whom obtained 11A's. Bravo!  Although I know Naqiah will not do as well, I pray that she accepts whatever her results would be.  As I've learned throughout the years... MCE (SPM) is not the deciding hurdle of our live, rather its the beginning of how we shape our future.  While in general those whom excel at MCE/SPM level would continue to be successful in their lives, there are much more whom were average or poor performers in their secondary schools but turned out to be winners and a success in the later part of their lives.

The school's ceremony today began with announcements of the 6A's, 7A's, 8A's, 9A's, 10A's and 11A's students whom were called to collect their "results slips" on stage...

Thunderous applause echoed the hall as names were announced. And by the time the last of the lot whom scored more than 6A's were called to the stage, I can see quite a number of frown faces across the room - obviously their expectations were not met.  Most of us learned our lesson late.  This is not the time that we can ensure good results. This is the time of the result.  The time to ensure good results has to be before the exams.  Study hard and study smart they say.  We reap what we sow.

I now vividly recall how it was with me during my school days.  As I said earlier, I was a lazy student.  Always behind on my homework's and studying or doing revisions.... errr... what studying?  what revision.  When I was in Standard 6, our home in Alor Lintang were just getting the electricity (wow... I almost forgot that we were living without electricity until I was 12 years of age!).  And soon after we were "electrified", Ayah bought the evil-box.  Yes , that would be the tv!  And this new home entertainment had really changed our lives in many ways.  I as most other kids became glued and addicted to this idiot box!  And that I would say was the main culprit behind my laziness.... 

When the facilitator finally announced that results is now ready for all the other students to collect from their respective teachers, Naqiah said "Ayah tunggu dalam kereta ya... :-)" So, I made my way to the car and waited.

Teachers waiting on the sides..

When Naqiah finally came to the car, she seemed relaxed and was smiling.  I know immediately that she was satisfied with her results.  But when she got into the car, Naqiah started to cry and said "Frust... sejarah dap at D..."  I quickly had a look at her result's slip and pointed out "Abby dapat B+ subjek Sains...!"  And immediately she exclaimed "ya ka?".  And she was all smiles and jubilant again!  Congrats Naqiah!  You have made Ayah and Mak proud today!  Her results was way better than what we had expected... alhamdulillah....

And way back in April of 1979, I had a similar surprise.  My expectations was only not to be a third grader or lower.  I would have very very happy with a borderline second grade!  

When I met our class monitor Mat Noor, he held out his hand and said "congrats Sabri.  You dapat gred satu.."  My first reaction was of a slight anger as I thought he was mocking me.  After all I was always at the bottom five in our class of 40 students or so.  But after a few classmates and friends came up to congratulate me, I was beginning to smile and was in a frenzy mode!  As it turned out, there were four of us whom obtain Grade 1.  The other three was naturally at the top of our class at all times.  And me?  totally unexpected by almost everyone!  And I just stayed there, at the school compounds with the few friends and classmates and I did not even go the the school's office to collect my results.  A bit later I saw Ayah came to school in his motorbike - obviously with my school fees debt money - and he made his way to the office.  When he came down from the first floor office, he was the most happiest father that day!

It was a life changing moment of my life.  As I said again and again, I was a lazy s.o.b in school.  I was tardy on my homeworks and only do revisions the night before any tests. But Allah gave me a chance to better myself.  Just two month before our MCE exam, an incident happened in class - I was ridiculed by a few classmates whom were in a study group.  What happened was, I wanted to sit in and listen or maybe participated in their discussion during a free period in class.  And I was brushed off by them.  I know that they were not serious about it a nd was only joking with me, but the remarks (something like "buat apa mung nok study, mung kan terror doh, tak study pun bulih pass!  Gi lah belakang nung dgn set set mung...) had prompted me to prove them wrong.  So for the next two months, I had put all my heart out into studying and doing revisions.  In fact my mother was also surprised to see me late at night still practicing maths and still reading books.  And my goal was - I did not want to get a Grade 3 which was where I was heading before that life-changing incident in class.  So, here's to you my classmates!  You have helped me to excel in my MCE!