STPM top scorer rises above adversity after accident

The Sun

26-06-2025

MELAKA: A 20-year-old student beat the odds to excel in last year's Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination, obtaining a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0.
Nur Umairah Mohd Desa, the fourth of five siblings, sustained severe injuries in a road accident while riding a motorcycle home from school in Perlis with her friend in August last year, just weeks before their second-semester exam.
She said the accident left her with limited time to revise, adding that she had to endure extreme pain while sitting for the test.
'The results were unsatisfactory. At the same time, my family was going through some issues, and we were forced to move from Perlis to Melaka to live with my sister in Masjid Tanah.
'It wasn't easy, especially since my friends and teachers in Perlis had become like a family to me. They took care of me and supported me until I completed the test,' she told reporters after the state-level 2024 STPM Appreciation Ceremony in Bukit Baru, here today.
Nur Umairah was among the high-achieving students honoured during the ceremony, which Melaka Education director Mahfudzah Mohamed Noor officiated.
She said, despite the difficulties, she remained high-spirited and determined to complete her social science studies at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sultan Alaudin, Masjid Tanah.
'There were times I felt like giving up because my second-semester results were not good, but my teachers and family kept me going and motivated me to work hard until I achieved excellent results,' she said.
According to Nur Umairah, she scored 5As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination and was offered a place at public universities, but she was determined to pursue Form Six studies.
'I've always been interested in Form Six as it offers more opportunities to further my studies at the degree level,' she said, adding that she allowed herself only four to five hours of sleep each day to focus on her revision and doing past-year exam papers.
'I intend to pursue a degree in Malay Language Education at Universiti Sains Malaysia to become a teacher,' she added.