Non-Top Scorers Can Be Successful

An interesting letter by Moses Kumar from Selangor published in NST Letters Column, March 18, 2010, which I find it interesting and would like to reproduce it over here to be pondered by those who did not get good results in the SPM exam announced recently.

As a teacher who has been teaching for the past 20 years, my heart goes to students who did not do well in public examinations. It's always heart wrenching to see them, especially after the SPM results.

One may say that these non-performers deserve it for not putting in more effort, but not all are academically inclined. They are not solely to be blamed as there are many reasons for their low performance.

Every individual is in a class of his own. What guarantee is there that the top scorers will be successful in life?

Good results enable them to secure good scholarships and study at well-known universities, both local and foreign. That's about it.

I have seen many non-top scorers who made it in the end. Today, these people are running successful businesses and even drive better cars than I do. Well done to them.

Eventhough they were not good academically, they had skills, humility and the eagerness to show they could do something in life. One thing that they had is this: they did not give up.

So, my advice to all those who did not get straight "As" is: Don't despair. There are avenues you can look for.

Don't be choosy. Look inward to discover your hidden talent and use that to create opportunities.

Parents, help your children. Help them discover their potential. Parents are accountable for what children become. Help them to choose the right path.

There are many areas the children can look at, including interior designing, sales, marketing and opening up a business.

I always tell my underachievers: If you have to sell burgers at the roadside, do it. It's an honest job. But at the same time, I tell them to strive to open a string of burger stalls; to create new recipes and look for opportunities to expand.

One day, these burger stall owners will feed those friends who scored straight "As". It is still a win-win situation.

Moses Kumar, Selangor.