EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND - Part 3

Primary School - Part 3

I remember that I was not really good in education from standard 1 up to standard 3. But in standard 4, I started to catch up and my pick up was good. By end of the year I was grouped in standard 5A, an elite class. In this year, we have Peperiksaan Penilaian Darjah 5 (Valuation Exam for Standard 5). The result from this exam will be graded. Five core subjects are included in the exam.

I think the basic rules and principles are similar with the today's UPSR. The only different thing was that we have had  the said exam in Standard 5 whilst UPSR today is held in Standard 6. The result from this exam will decide what secondary school we are in Form 1. If the result is good, 5A for example, one stands very good chance to be admitted into the Government's boarding elite schools, such as MRSM, Science Schools, Royal Military College, Malay College Kuala Kangsar and many more.

My result for Standard 5 exam is just moderate and I failed to qualify for the minimum requirements for  the admittance to the government's boarding school. But, I still capable to maintain my presence in the elite class for the Standard 6, the final class in Primary School. 

By this year I was good in English, Malay Literature and History but just moderate in Science and Geography. I finished 6th in my final exam for Standard 6. I think that was a great result for me. But, I was not selected for a Form 1 Removed Class in Sultan Sulaiman Secondary School (SSSS) because I was not active in sport.

At that time, SSSS was one of the best English based Secondary School in Terengganu. They have provided some removed classes for Malay language students selected throughout the state. The classes were just to convert the basic language from Malay to English. It meant that a student like me would have to spend 1 year just to learn English in SSSS.

My father did not agree with this Removed class and much more preferred for me to go to normal Malay basic Secondary School because I can save 1 year for my education. To his opinion, it was a waste of time for just learning all subjects in English. I did not bring you anywhere after the Lower Certificate of Examination. It was just for going into Form 4 in whatever school you have chosen or qualified for. 

My father was more concerned about Form 5, because it may decide where you can go after that, either to Lower Six for the Higher School Certificate or to Diploma or Matriculation Courses in Local Universities or perhaps to Universities abroad.

So, I was advised by my father to go to normal daily secondary school, other than to SSSS. There were few secondary schools available at my time. The nearest one to my house was Sekolah Menengah Batu Buruk (today known as Sekolah Menengah Seri Budiman). Other schools were Sekolah Menengah Agama Sultan Zainal Abidin, Sekolah Menengah Panji Alam and Sekolah Menengah Padang Midin.

I have had chosen Sekolah Menengah Batu Buruk as my secondary school.