Lim Kit Siang

Top Singapore student again from Malaysia

CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ does it again
By Vimita Mohandas
channelnewsasia.com
10 January 2011

SINGAPORE: The 2010 GCE ‘O’ Level examination results were announced on Monday afternoon at the respective secondary schools of students who sat for the national exam last year.

The top student is CHIJ St. Nicholas Girls’ School’s Chia Pei Yun, who scored 10 A1s. This is the third year the school has produced a top student in the ‘O’ Level exam.

But the Malaysian, on a Ministry of Education-ASEAN scholarship, said her learning journey wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.

English and Literature were her toughest subjects.

“I started reasonably early and over the whole year I put in some consistent work for every test that we got. In the end, it paid off. (Trying) to keep a relaxed mindset helps,” said Chia.

The avid music lover has set her heart on going to a junior college and intends to do some humanitarian work in the future.

Two others from the school were also among the nation’s top students. They scored 9 A1s.

The school also saw a record 75.8 per cent of students obtaining distinctions for English Language – a 10.3 per cent increase as compared to last year.

Meanwhile, three students share the honour in the top Chinese student category. They are Teo Jing Ming (Catholic High School), Choo Hui Ting Felicia (Methodist Girls’ School) and Julia Shan-Wen Fung (Singapore Chinese Girls’ School), who each scored nine A1s and one A2.

The top Malay student is Victoria School’s Muhammad Amirul Haqim Ghazali, who scored nine A1s.

Following his two older siblings, he took Chinese as a second language.

While he admits it was difficult, he said it was sheer hard work and tenacity that earned him his distinction.

Another challenge – keeping his spirits up after his father’s illness last year.

“When my dad had a heart attack, it adversely affected me. It spurred me on to have an ambition to become a heart surgeon, not only to help my family but other people who are stricken with this illness,” he said.

Sharing the honour in the top Indian student category are Kashmira of Cedar Girls’ Secondary School, Leah Tom of Crescent Girls’ Schools and H Sharanya Pillai of Riverside Secondary School. The students each scored nine A1s.

In the top Eurasian student category is Neubronner Daniel Robert of St. Joseph’s Institution, who scored nine A1s.

A total of 37,655 students sat for the examination last year. Of whom, 99.8 per cent – or 37,598 – obtained at least one or more GCE ‘O’ Level passes to be awarded certificates.

81.2 per cent of those who sat for the exam scored at least five GCE ‘O’ Level passes. This is 0.1 per cent higher compared with the results in 2009.

Private candidates would be informed of their results by post. They can also check their results via the Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board website from 2pm Monday.

-CNA/wk/ls