Congratulations: Koh (left) posing with his certificates. With him is Cambridge country director Ng Kim Huat.
SUCCESS is rarely attained on one’s own, no matter how much hard work one puts in.
This rings true for three students who were recently recognised at the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards Ceremony for having achieved exceptional performance in the AS- and A-Level November 2022 examinations.
Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) student Dareena Kaur Kaulsay, who was named Top in the World for the AS-Level Law and Top in Malaysia for the AS-Level English Literature, attributed her success to her lecturers and friends.
“My lecturers put effort into teaching us by handing out extra notes and providing feedback on every essay submitted, given that both English Literature and Law are fully essay-based subjects.
“I appreciate the time my lecturers set aside for marking my long essays,” the 19-year-old said, adding that her friends in the English Literature class motivated and inspired her every day.
Describing the support she had as “extremely rewarding”, the aspiring lawyer said she had always dreamed of receiving a prestigious award to validate her passion for English Literature.
“Securing the two awards showed me that my efforts had not been in vain and that I could achieve anything I set my mind to,” she said in a press release.
Another MCKL student, Soong Jun Shen was named the Top in Malaysia award recipient for the A-Level Computer Science.
Conceding that he had struggled to juggle the “heavy workload” of subjects, the 20-year-old thanked his lecturers for being supportive throughout his A-Level journey.
“They would set aside time to give me additional feedback and guidance,” he said.
To cope with the academic demands, he also managed his time better.
“I planned my studies strategically, especially before the examinations, to fully utilise the limited amount of time to understand many of the core concepts and mechanisms and retain the large volume of knowledge required for the subjects,” he said.
Having been accepted into Nanyang Technological University Singapore to study mathematical and computer sciences, Soong said receiving the award had reaffirmed his passion and ability to pursue the challenging but rewarding field, and motivated him to deepen his understanding in the subject through his undergraduate education.
Also citing the “unconditional support” of his lecturers, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) Justin Koh Zi Kang came away from the award ceremony held in Selangor on May 11 with the Top in the World award for Accounting and the Top in Malaysia award for the Business and Economics subjects.
He also expressed appreciation for the varsity’s facilities and learning environment, as well as dedication to academic excellence, and students’ personal growth and overall development.
“My A-Level journey has not only opened doors to scholarship opportunities, but has also led to the successful attainment of full scholarships at different universities.
“With these opportunities, I am confident in achieving my goals and making a positive impact in the field,” he said in a separate press release.
To students keen on stamping their mark, he had this to say: “Remember that success is not solely determined by grades, but also by the growth, knowledge and skills you acquire throughout your academic journey.
“Stay focused, work diligently, and believe in your ability to excel.”
