WITH the SPM results announced on March 12, I’m compelled to pen a few thoughts on this subject.

Malaysians would have started the day by reading the news of the nation’s top SPM scorer, Azali Azlan, who scored a whopping 20 1As and 1 2A in the examination! His achievement by far exceeds all expectations and hopes.

His 21 As is here to prove wrong all

allegations against our nation that suggest that our country is experiencing a brain drain, with many capable young Malaysians leaving their homeland in search of better opportunities abroad.

Such results, which have been getting common in our country these past few years, suggest that we live in a nation of prodigies and geniuses who will not only attain multiple PhD’s in their lifetime, but will also contribute towards national development.

But as an educator, I am also beginning to worry that this trend of scoring the highest number of As is leaving a negative impact on current and future generations of our youths.

A student of mine confided in me his disappointment at achieving only 8A’s compared with his friends who apparently achieved 10As and more.

I was taken aback by this and realised that it is no longer the quality of the subjects taken that matters; instead it is the quantity that takes centre stage.

I only have one question. Year in year out my father would ask me: “Where have all these prodigies disappeared to since the announcement of their results?”

Have they been accepted into universities such as Yale, Harvard and Cambridge? Or have they been sent to a secluded, private institution that is set up to groom these geniuses exclusively from all around the world? Why don’t we hear of them

receiving scholarships and graduating as valedictorians?

What kind of message are we trying to send to the younger generations? Time and time again we have reminded ourselves

that it is not the As that matter. More importantly, it is how our children are able to live and serve Malaysia as responsible and caring citizens.

What has happened to that school of thought?

Children nowadays are no longer identified by their age. They are identified by what standard or form they are in and how many As they achieved in exams.

With that, allow me to congratulate all SPM candidates who received results that were astounding and excellent in their own right. You know who you are and what you got. Be proud of yourself and know that you will in turn be an invaluable asset to this country in the years to come.

MELISSA NETTO,
Petaling Jaya.

Source: The Star – March 14, 2008