The Best Gift

The best gift for Christmas this year.
A commendable set of PMR results.
PMR 2011 was record breaking as it had the highest number of passes in the history of the school and thus etched a top placing in the local district.

Every year at this time, both Puan Poh and I will have a sleepless night before the results are released. We will try to gauge the performance of the year and toss around in bed.

This year somehow it is quite different. Astro asked to come in for a special interview with the children and so we hand picked a few in anticipation of good results. I dare pick this young chap... Samuel Tee. He is meticulous in his work and speaks and writes perfect English. It was my greatest delight to have him in Form 3.

Some girls were ready for the special interview too and they were among the top.

His father was the first I texted. Kishore is son to Praba; the vice president of the school PTA. He hit the nail with his perfect score.

This is Praba and wife; both are supportive parents and provide the best ethos at home for good upbringing. AStro could not resist interviewing them too.

This is Neoh Jia Foo; very active in school co-curricular activities and an exemplary student. He held the bull by its horn and with a mental strength stronger than an ox, he represented the school with 2 other buddies for the international robotics challenge during the PMR period. When asked if the exam went well, he told me of his fear for the Bahasa paper. He made it with his perfect score. Well done, son.

The teachers are just as anxious. They were all out to handle the challenges. Some may claim that the tuition factor is the greatest consideration for good results but I believe it is the ethos of the school that is just as important if not the most. Cooperation and team spirit for a common cause to win is an ingredient to grasp and behold.

In a main stream school, it is really challenging to make sure that everyone passes every paper they offer. To have a fail in any paper will mean the child has failed the whole exam. When you have to handle children of varied intelligence and emotional quotients; it takes a bit to ensure total success; I mean 100 % passes. Somehow, somewhere there is a problem child; but no one wants to know the problem; only the solution. So, the good and bad come together for a final 'good' results. That is challenging.

Planning is also tough when we have to try tricks, persuasions and strategies to concur with the participants. Children must agree to accept what you offer. So, we try nasi lemak, kit kat and you name them ... to help them pass.

Here's my 3 Hormat children; playful but yet adorable. All ready to receive their score. A number of them had straight As but quite a few missed out on the 2 languages; Malay and Chinese.

These are some with the perfect score ; an A in every paper. Congratulations boys and girls. You have made the school proud. Better still if you have perfect score in SPM. Nothing is impossible if there is a will.

But the most important of all; hold values in life that will make you a hit with God and mankind.

My best Christmas gift.
And the greatest challenge of the coming year; continue to be good.