The Boy Who Scored 4D’s

PMR results are out and again the media will be extolling the teenagers who did well, who scored A’s. But it is not just the media doing it. Parents and the public are equally guilty. The media portray these A’s as if they are marks of great achievement. Our exams, however, only test a natural ability to remember and solve some “puzzles”. They do not determine a person’s worth or true achievements. Nonetheless, many teenagers will be disappointed and hurt today. They are the perceived “failures” both by society and by themselves, if they did not score. I wish the media would instead portray the real achievers, like the boy who scored 4 D’s. This young man struggled against the system and his own limitations. He was not born with a gifted brain. He had a learning disorder that was not addressed by the education system. He really worked hard. He was placed in the “worst” class with disinterested teachers and his parents had no money for tuition. Despite it all, he scored 4 D’s! Now that shows determination and is worth shouting about. However, he will not even rate a small paragraph on page 10.
Courtesy;
Dr AMAR-SINGH HSS, Consultant Community Paediatrician & Head of Paediatric Department,