So, I have joined Form 1 in Batu Buruk Secondary School, a 100% Malay Medium school. I remember I was placed in Form 1A2, a lower class compared to 1A1, which was an elite class. Form 1A2 was a moderate class where students were not really good. I could not understand how the school selected the students for the classes at that time. I noticed one of my classmate in the Primary School who were in position number 21 in final exam were placed in 1A1 class. My result was better than him (number 6) but I was placed in the moderate class.This was happened in the year of 1971.
I just didn't care about the discrimination and set myself to study as hard as I possibly could. Studying at that time was not like today. We have subjects taught by teachers in Malay Language (save for English subject which was called Bahasa Inggeris). No extra classes and no tuition needed. You have to create your own study hours or time table at home.
So, in the following year (1972), I was placed in Form 2A1, an elite class. This year was the starting moment for me in concentrating for the Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) exam. Students in Malay Medium will have to sit for SRP exam whilst those in English Medium will sit for the Lower Certificate of Education (LCE). Both SRP and LCE were equivalent in terms of standard and necessities. Nowadays, they are called as Penilaian Menengah Rendah exam or PMR in its abbreviation.
I have my own time table for my study and revision at home. I remember that I have been studying very hard for the SRP exam. I have had my own dream for the exam. I've had an ambition to continue my study in the Government's boarding schools. If I have a good result in my SRP I might be offered to join elite boarding schools such as Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK), Sekolah Alam Shah (SASKL), Royal Military College (RMC), Sultan Abdul Halim Secondary School in Jitra, Kedah, Technical School or at least in any Science Schools.
At that time, the merit was set as the requirements for joining the elite boarding schools. The merit was set on the aggregate system. Students must take 8 subjects for SRP or LCE. There were 6 core subjects consisting of Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language), Bahasa Inggeris (English Language), Matematik (Mathematics), Ilmu Alam (Geography), Sejarah (History), Ilmu Sains (Science). Then there were other optional subjects for us to choose (2 more subjects) such as Pengetahuan Agama Islam (Islamic Knowledge), Sains Pertanian (Agricultural Science), Sains Rumahtangga (Home Science), Lukisan (Drawing) and Perkebunan (Gardening) to make it 8 subjects all together.
The score for each subject was A1 as highest score, followed by B2, C3, D4, E5 and F9 for a fail. If a student can score A1 for all 8 subjects, he will definitely have 8 A1. But for the purpose of the merit, only 5 top subjects will be counted and the highest or the best result shall be Aggregate 5 (A1+A1+A1+A1+A1=5). If another student got A1 for both Malay and English Languages, B2 for Science and Geography and C3 for History, his score shall be Aggregate 9 (A1+A1+B2+B2+C3= 9).
Different minimum scores were set by certain elite schools for intake of new students for Form 4. Schools like MCKK, SASKL and RMC required for 6 aggregate score whilst other schools like technical and science schools set the scores between Aggregate 5 to 10 as the minimum requirements.
The admissions to the schools aforesaid were not subject to any application from the students. The government has its department under the Ministry of Education that made the selection of students to join the schools based on the merit or the result of the SRP or LCE.
So, based on this pre-conditions, I really studied very hard in Form 3. I was located in Form 3A1, the elite class of Form 3.
When the School set for the Trial Examination, I was really fit and ready for the same. I emerged as the School's best student with the score of Aggregate 5.
However, my score in the real exam was not as good as the trial exam...I've had only Aggregate 10! That has destroyed all my dreams forever...
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