PADANG TERAP: Nuradillya Mohd Zaidi, 18, from Kampung Padang Setol here, is the first student from SMK Pedu to achieve straight A's in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).
The school in Pedu, Padang Terap, was established 28 years ago and primarily has B40 students.
Nuradillya, whose father is a food trader, said despite the odds, she always believed she could achieve excellent results for SPM.
"I scored seven A's and one B in my trial exams and felt confident. But I was a bit nervous this morning when checking my results on the Education Ministry website.
"I only found out before the trial exams that no student from my school had ever achieved straight A's. I am deeply moved and proud of my achievement, Alhamdulillah," she said at the school today.
Nuradillya, the eldest of four siblings, credited her success to her persistence and passion for learning, as well as the love and support of her father, Mohd Zaidi Hamid, 43.
"I have always loved studying. I studied every day after school. I made sure to join extra classes and used the internet to look for additional resources, especially on YouTube.
"I can do this because of my father's love and support. He did everything he could to help me, ensuring I had internet access and all the books I needed."
She said performing 'solat hajat' and reading the Quran every day helped her focus on her studies and get closer to her dreams.
"I'm planning to pursue tertiary education in finance or business. My goal is to get a scholarship and study in a top public university."
Zaidi, who raised Nuradillya and her siblings by himself for five years after his divorce from his first wife, said he felt responsible for securing his daughter's future.
"After my first marriage ended, I brought Nuradillya and her siblings to my hometown in 2016. I was struggling financially and sought support from my family here.
"The first five years here were hard, but I wanted her to have a great future, so I made sure I raised her right. Alhamdulillah for this success, I'm very proud of her," said Zaidi, who married his current wife, Hanimnuza Hashim, 42, in 2021.
SMK Pedu principal Abdul Rahman Malik said he was moved by Nuradillya's success as it marked a historic milestone for the school.
"After 28 years of operation, one student has finally achieved straight A's. We had several students who got excellent results, but never straight A's.
"Last year, we had 103 candidates and Nuradillya broke the record, Alhamdulillah."
He said Nuradillya's success was due to the dedication of teachers, support from the government and her own commitment to education.
He said the school's overall average grade improved from 5.98 to 5.75 this year, earning the school an award for 'lonjakan saujana' for significant progress.
"This school is in a rural area. Most people here belong to the B40 group. To produce our first student with straight A's and achieve 'lonjakan saujana' is very encouraging."