Young journalist fighting fit to take on school examinations

THE year 2020 went by in a flash. If you ask me what I remember most about it, my answer would be the endless amount of time I spent travelling from the kitchen to my living room and then to my bedroom.

I am 18 this year, also known as “Form Five Pro Max”. I would have completed my SPM examination two months ago, but here I am stuck at home until yesterday, without even completing my trial examination (which has been scrapped) due to the pandemic.

School is reopening today for Form Five (2020) students.

Part of me is worried for my safety and health but another part of me is determined to finish the SPM examination as soon as possible.

I will be wearing a face shield to school although it may be super mortifying. Yes, I’m anxious about stepping out of my home but more than that, I am worried about my examinations.

I have revised and studied a lot for the past few months but I still feel unprepared. Initially, I thought it was just me feeling this way.

As it turned out, all my peers also felt the same way. Online classes are not as effective as face-to-face lessons.

Students easily feel distracted and have a hard time focusing. Some also face connectivity issues and have to share their devices with siblings.

Going back to school will push us to pick up our momentum and study harder for the SPM.

I hope teachers will be stricter with students who breach the standard operating procedures.

These students need to be punished for putting other students’ lives at risk.

I really hope that all students will act rationally and follow the SOP.

Unlike others, we Form Five (2020) students do not have to prepare much for school. We do not have to buy new books or new stationery. We only need to prepare ourselves mentally, physically and of course, for our exams.

My mother, on the other hand, is sceptical about sending me back to school. Cases in my area are increasing drastically and it is not unlikely for me to contract the virus.

There have been many petitions to cancel SPM. They were sent to group chats and all they did was to make me even more nervous.

Will the SPM examination still go on? Will they use forecast results or an alternative assessment instead? I hope the government will not give in to all these petitions and cancel the SPM.

Everything is uncertain right now. All we can do is to go with the flow and hope for the best.

Here’s wishing all my fellow “Form Five Pro Max” sisters and brothers the best of luck!

Form Five (2020) student Nieha (pic), 18, from SMK Taman Desa, Rawang, Selangor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (NiE) team. For more information on Star-NiE’s BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.