The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2024 results are out, and once again, we are told it’s the best performance in over a decade. The numbers are eye-catching. Over 14,000 students secured straight As – an increase from 3.1% in 2023 to 3.7% this year.
On paper, this sounds like something to celebrate. But scratch beneath the surface, and some troubling questions emerge. What is really going on?
When 14,179 candidates are walking around with A+, A or A- in every subject, we must ask ourselves: has the value of an A quietly been diluted?
In the past, securing straight As was a rare achievement, earned through exceptional mastery, discipline and relentless hard work. It was something special.
Today, straight As are no longer rare – they are becoming commonplace. And when excellence becomes common, its meaning fades.
We don’t talk about it openly, but the pressure to produce results – from schools, from parents, from society at large – may have led us down a dangerous path. A path where quantity is celebrated over quality, and where standards, quietly, may have shifted.
I worry about these so-called “high flyers”. Many now believe they are smarter than they actually are. Not out of arrogance, but because the system tells them so.
They are floating on cloud nine, thinking they can cruise through life on the strength of their exam certificates. It is a dangerous illusion – that straight As automatically guarantee success.
When I was pursuing my PhD in the United States, many American students assumed that Asians were naturally brainy. The truth? We simply worked harder – often two or three times harder. Our secret was discipline, grit, and an obsession with mastering the material.
The same lesson applies here: real success is built on effort, not shortcuts. Many of today’s A-star students no doubt worked hard and deserve every accolade. But what about the rest, who may have simply benefited from a system that has been subtly recalibrated to produce more top scorers?
The wrong message gets sent: that you can succeed without putting in the long, hard hours. That you are exceptional simply because a piece of paper says so.
The reality is that the real world doesn’t care about grades alone.
In universities – especially top ones abroad – many of these “high achievers” may find themselves struggling. Some scrape through; others drop out.
And in the workplace, employers look beyond grades. They seek resilience, adaptability, creativity, emotional intelligence – qualities that aren’t measured by SPM results. That is when reality hits hardest.
Have we, as a nation, created a system that rewards grades but not true ability? Parents are partly responsible too. In many affluent urban families, the first question asked when results are out is, “How many As did you get?” Anything less than perfect is seen as failure.
Students are pressured to produce straight As – not necessarily to become better learners, but to fulfil expectations. Their lives become a relentless chase for perfection, driven by fear of disappointing their parents and peers.
Once upon a time, to earn an A, you needed to score 75 marks or more – following a rigorous, transparent British education standard. Today? It’s a mystery. If the benchmark for excellence is quietly lowered, are we really doing our students any favours?
It is time for the Education Ministry to seriously reassess our grading system. Let an A grade truly stand for outstanding achievement – not just adequate performance. An A must be earned through mastery and effort, not awarded too easily.
Dear students, do not be deceived by the grades on your results slip. An A is a stepping stone, not a lifetime guarantee. Stay grounded. Keep learning. Keep pushing yourself.
And parents, please remember to look beyond the grades. Celebrate effort, perseverance, curiosity and character – not just exam results. Raise children who are resilient learners, not just paper champions.
We can and should celebrate the achievements of our students. But let us also have the courage to ask: at what cost are these straight As being achieved? Because in the end, the world will not ask how many As you got. It will ask: what can you do, and how well can you do it?
DR POLA SINGH
Note: I’m pleased to mention that I obtained Grade One in both the Overseas School Certificate and the Malaysian Certificate of Education exams in 1966. I studied at Melaka High School. I didn’t get straight As (no one did in my school), but my name (along with all those who obtained at least a Grade Three result) was published in the mainstream newspaper. It was a proud moment.
