STPM RESULTS OUT - MINISTRY CAN BREATH RELIEVE

STPM Results

The number of four and five A scorers dropped by more than 50% to 362 when compared with the previous year's result of 767 scorers. This will be a great relieve to the ministry as they will have lesser work to do and less headache to find places for medical students in local universities as compared to last year.

Malaysian Examinations Council chairman Tan Sri Prof Dr Abu Hassan Othman, in announcing the results, said: “The percentage of candidates with four or five principal passes has increased and subject performance has also improved.” The number of candidates passing four or five subjects has increased to 29,877 from the previous year's 23,458, showing a 2.5% INCREASE. The number of candidates last year increased to 71,145 from 56,502 in 2003 (ABOUT 20% INCREASE IN CANDIDATES). Of this total, 47,750 (67.1%) were female candidates while 23,395 (32.9%) were male.

SO, THERE ARE 20% INCREASE IN CANDIDATES AND THE NUMBER PASSING 4-5 SUBJECTS HAD INCREASED BY 2.5%? GOOD RESULTS? IMPROVEMENTS? CAN CONGRATULATE AND CELEBRATE?

When commenting about the reduced numbers in top scorers (by 50%), this is what the ministry had to say:

“Every year we get candidates of different calibre, which accounts for the lower number of top scorers. “We have to look at the overall improvement,” said Malaysian Examinations Council chairman Tan Sri Prof Dr Abu Hassan Othman, in announcing the results.

Of the total number of top scorers, nine obtained perfect scores.

They are Nur Ashikin Abdul Rahim from Kolej Islam Sultan Alam Shah in Klang; Tee Teng Teng from SMK Seri Keledang in Menglembu, Perak; Lee Tuan Cheong from SMK Kepong; Tee Xian Yang from SMK Tinggi Segamat, Johor; Lim Kher Sham from SMK Ibrahim, Sungai Petani in Kedah; Chen Ming Wei from SMK St Paul in Seremban; Teh Gim Aik from SMK Chung Ling in Penang; Chew Eong Loon and Liew Seng Fatt from SMK Jit Sin (A) Bukit Mertajam.

So, what is their success factors?

Tee Teng Teng worked hard, spent three to four hours revising every day and paid close attention to her lessons at her small rural school in Menglembu. In between, she also found time to help her mother at her stall selling nyonya kuih. Teng Teng, whose favourite subject is Biology, scored As in all five subjects. She is determined to become a doctor so that she can help the poor by providing free treatment and medical assistance. “I come from a poor family so I know how difficult life can be. I want to become a doctor because I like the field and also so that I can offer free treatment to the poor,” said the student of SMK Seri Keledang. For Tee Teng Teng, effective time-management was the key to success in the STPM. The 20-year-old made a timetable to divide her time between school and revisions. "To succeed, one must combine hard work, a strong will and discipline," she said.

For Nur Ashikin Abdul Rahim, the news that she was the top student in the country came as a shock to her. “Actually, I had set a target for myself to be the top student in the country. But I really did not think it would actually come true,” said the student of Kolej Islam Sultan Alam Shah in Klang who also scored As in all five subjects.

SMK Kepong Science student Lee Tuan Cheong, who scored 5As and had perfect scores in all the 13 papers that he had sat for. Tuan Cheong said that while he worked hard and received a lot of support from family and teachers, he also enjoyed going shopping, swimming and playing futsal with friends. He recently represented the country at an International Physics Olympiad in South Korea and the Asian Physics Olympiad in Vietnam.

None said TV was the reason for their achievements. To ministry officials, would they still think TV will help improve English and provide educational success?