ALOR STAR: When her father died from a viral blood infection just before Hari Raya Aidilfitri this year, Nur Afiqa Che Ya felt like giving up on her dreams of attending university.
Today, however, an emotional Afiqa appears to have been given a new lease on life after she was placed among the top Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) scorers in Kedah.
Afiqa was among 58 students in the state to score a 4.00 CGPA in the 2021 exams.
The 20-year-old said after her father's death, she was at a loss as to how to finance her studies.
"My mother is a housewife and my dad was the sole breadwinner.
"To be honest, I felt like giving up on my studies. What kept me going was my father's last wish, which was to never stop my pursuit of knowledge.
"Right now, my thoughts are with him. I am very grateful to have achieved the results I wanted," she said after receiving her grades at Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid today.
Upon the passing of her father, who worked as a sugar factory supervisor in Padang Terap, Afiqa had to make sacrifices to care for her disabled elder sister and younger siblings.
Afiqa said her road to success was also challenged by factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic, and that her house in Kampung Tong Pelu in Pedu was 16km from her school, SMK Dato' Syed Ahmad.
"On some days when it rained heavily, I would arrive at school late or skip school altogether because it was too dangerous to go by motorcycle.
"The pandemic was also very difficult. Many students became frustrated by the delayed tests. It meant that we would graduate later. Some of my schoolmates were forced to drop out altogether to look for work," she added.
Afiqa said after receiving compensation funds from her father's passing, she felt she still had a chance to accomplish her father's dying wish.
"I prayed and studied every day with my friends.
"We would spend time after school discussing topics that we had difficulty understanding.
"After school, I would take a few hours to rest, and at night, I would continue studying. On weekends, I spent a total of five hours studying as well," she said.
She said she had been called up for interviews to enrol in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).
"It has always been my dream to become an educator.
"Hopefully, the compensation money I received can help me achieve my dreams and help my family," she said, wiping away tears.
Meanwhile, her friend and classmate, Nur Syahida Mahadi, 20, who also scored a 4.00 CGPA, said she was extremely grateful to receive such good results.
"I didn't do well in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia exams but I didn't let that setback get to me.
"I believed that if I worked hard enough, I could achieve success in the STPM exams, and thank God, I did it," she said with tears of joy.
Nur Syahida attributed her success to her family who inspired her to study hard.
"I spent most of my time with books rather than with my family. I wouldn't join them if they went somewhere.
"My parents kept encouraging and motivating me to study. They even slept in my room to help me study.
"Today, I felt that the sacrifices I made were all worth it, and I'm so grateful for being able to make them proud."