GEORGE TOWN: Visually impaired Tan Jun Sheng, who is the first blind student in the country to take Geography and Sports Science in SPM, proved no disability is too big a deterrent to achieve success when he obtained A+ for both subjects.
The 18-year-old student from SMK George Town said he was happy to have scored 2A+ in two of his favourite subjects.
The Geography and Sports Science papers in SPM are usually taken by normal students, said Tan, who has been blind since he was six months old. Tan, who scored 2A+, 5A and 1B+ in the SPM 2021 examination, was also announced as one of Penang's SPM 2021 top scorers in the special needs candidates’ category.
"I am happy and did not expect to get good results like this.
"During the exam, I felt that many of the papers were difficult but I am proud that I manage to do it," he said when met at the school. Tan, who was elated when he received his SPM results Thursday (June 16), thanked his parents, teachers and friends for helping him.
"I would not achieve such good results if it wasn't for them."
His mother Anna Lin, 49, said she was happy that her son was committed in his studies despite his disability.
SMK George Town principal Atikah Mohd Ariffin said she was proud that Tan excelled in his SPM examination.
"Tan is the first blind student in the country who took the Geography and Sports Science subjects in the examination and he managed to score with flying colours," she said. Meanwhile, two classmates scored good results in their SPM 2021 examination despite difficulties they had to endure while studying online for two years during the pandemic. Emir Faliq Lim Adam Lim and Nur Aina Fadhlina Ahmad Fazli, both 18, scored 9A+, and emerged as best students in SMK Bukit Jambul.
"It was quite challenging to prepare for SPM during the pandemic, but my teachers were helpful," said Emir when met in SMK Bukit Jambul after receiving his certificate from state Education Department deputy director (district education offices planning and management sector) Wan Sajiri Wan Hassan today.
He said he owed his success to his parents and friends.
"I allocated three hours daily for revision. The key is consistency," said Emir.
Accompanying him to collect his results was his mother Zarina Mohd Ibrahim, 46, who shed tears of joy upon hearing that her son was among those who scored straight As.
Nur Aina said she would make sure that she completes her school homework daily and makes time for study in the wee hours of the morning.
During the SPM results announcement in SMK Bukit Jambul, Wan Sajiri said a total of 17 SPM 2021 candidates from Penang achieved A+ in all their subjects. He said three students scored 11A+, ten students scored 10A+, and another four students scored 9A+.
"Overall, the number of candidates who got a combination of A+, A and A- in all subjects is 666.
"The National Average Grade (GPN) for Penang candidates in SPM 2021 this year is 4.77," he said.
Wan Sajiri said the SPM 2021 batch of students is the first cohort of students who sat for the SPM examination using the new Standard-Based Curriculum for Secondary Schools (KSSM) and exam format.
He said a total of 20,048 candidates sat for SPM 2021 in Penang, including 18,424 candidates from government secondary schools, 175 candidates from private schools, 872 private candidates, 208 religious school candidates and 369 MRSM candidates.
He said a total of 15,520 or 86.03% who sat for SPM 2021 were eligible to receive SPM certificates.
He said a total of 22 schools in Penang achieved 100% results, where all their students were eligible for SPM certificates. Based on the School Average Grade (GPS), SMK Bukit Jambul was announced the best school with a GPS of 1.83.
The SPM 2021 written exam ran from March 2 to March 29 with a total of 407,097 candidates sitting for the exams. Candidates can access their results online at myresultspm.moe.gov.my or via short message service (SMS), where candidates can check by typing SPMMyKad NumberRoll Number and SMS to 15888, from 10am onwards.
