KUALA NERANG: Balancing a part-time job, managing home errands, and excelling in academics was not an insurmountable challenge for Nur Arifah Ayob.
The 20-year-old SMK Dato Syed Ahmad student from Kampung Barokhas, Kuala Nerang, achieved straight As and a 3.92 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) for her Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) today.
Arifah, who has been raised by a single mother since her father died nine years ago, said her excellent grades came as a pleasant surprise, given the many obstacles she had to overcome.
"I'm very grateful for my grades, it was unexpected because in my previous semesters, I struggled to balance between work and studies, and my grades suffered.
"However, I decided to work harder in my last semester, and Alhamdulillah, it paid off," said the third child in a family of four.
Recalling her journey, Arifah said she spent at least four hours daily studying, which often meant studying while working in a small sundry shop run by her elder brother, Muhammad Yusri Ayob, 27.
"When my father died, my brother took on the responsibility of keeping our late father's shop running. I work there every day to help the family as well.
"But since I needed to study, I decided to bring my laptop and books to the cashier counter and study while managing the counter. As soon as I got back home, it's work time until 10pm, and during that time, I study as well," she said.
Initially, the daily routine was challenging, but Arifah embraced the role as an opportunity to develop her multitasking skills.
She emphasised that there was no secret to her excellent grades other than hard work, prayers, and a keen interest in academics.
"My plan now is to continue my studies at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) in Tanjung Malim, Perak. I want to become a teacher, Insyaallah," she added.
Arifah's mother, Asiah Abdullah, 51, expressed her delight in her daughter's success, attributing it to hard work and prayers.
"My late husband, Ayob Abu Bakar, died in 2015. Ever since then, Arifah and her siblings have helped me manage the household and shop left by my late husband.
"Alhamdulillah, God blessed the family with this success. I hope Arifah continues to make us proud," she added.
Meanwhile, SMK Dato Syed Ahmad Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) president Datuk Badrul Hisham Hashim expressed gratitude that the school's STPM average grade and pass rates have seen an improvement from last year.
"There's been improvements, for STPM 2022, the pass rate was 96.20 percent and the average grade was 2.68, this year, we have a 97.30 percent pass rate and an average grade of 2.85.
"At the same time, four students achieved straight As, each with a CGPA of 3.92," he added.
The three other straight As students alongside Arifah were Nurul Ain Rosli, Noradlina Mohamad Zakir, and Muhammad Aniq Iskandar Heirman.