Perseverance pays off in SPM success

FOR Rita Liew Yu Thong, scoring 11A+ in the 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) was more than an academic milestone – it was an achievement from her personal wishlist.

The 18-year-old from SMK (P) Temenggong Ibrahim in Batu Pahat, Johor, had long set her sights on a perfect string of A+ grades, making the eventual results a deeply meaningful success.

“I felt really excited when I received my results, as it was something I had been hoping for,” she said, adding that her parents were very proud of her.

As a Science stream student taking 10 subjects, Liew took the initiative to add Prinsip Perakaunan in Form 4, bringing her total number of subjects for SPM to 11.

Yu Thong, an only child, found her SPM year both demanding and fast-paced as she balanced a rigorous daily timetable to stay ahead.

“I had tuition for almost all the subjects and also attended the extra classes organised by my school teachers daily, often staying back at school until 4.30pm.

“I also attended additional weekend classes in school, normally held from 7am to 12pm, to better understand the key subjects, particularly Additional Mathematics,” she said.

Yu Thong said guidance from her seniors played a key role in her preparation.

“I got a lot of inspiration and motivation from my seniors. They shared their experiences and gave me advice on how to study effectively,” she said.

Nurul Khairah Balqis credits her five-year journey at the boarding school for helping her secure 9A+.

She revealed that taking short naps between study sessions helped her maintain focus.

“I believe that sufficient sleep helped me concentrate better when I studied,” she added.

Currently working part-time at a higher education counselling centre, Yu Thong is planning to do A-Levels at a college in Johor Baru before heading to Singapore to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

Equally joyous were two other top scorers from Sekolah Tun Fatimah in Johor Baru.

Nurul Khairah Balqis Mohd Faizal, 18, credited her five-year journey at the boarding school for helping her secure 9A+ in the SPM examination.

The third of four siblings, whose father is a lorry driver and mother a housewife, expressed relief at hitting her target.

Nur Fatihah hopes to secure a scholarship to pursue medicine at a university in Egypt.

“I didn’t expect to actually achieve it, but I’m thankful to have made my parents proud,” she added.

Fellow 9A+ scorer Nur Fatihah Mohd Rashidi, 18, thought it would be difficult to surpass her sister’s achievement of 8A+.

“My sister’s SPM results were a source of both motivation and pressure,” said the youngest of six siblings.

“With my parents having such high expectations, it pushed me to work harder.”

Looking ahead, Nur Fatihah is hoping to secure a scholarship to pursue medicine at a university in Egypt.

If unsuccessful, she plans to apply to study medicine locally.