From Mr 92

I was inspired to write this piece after reading the article “Where have all the straight-A students gone?” by K Parkaran, dated June 20.

Let me begin by stating that I have 9A+ and 1A for my SPM, 4A for my A-Levels, and a master’s degree in engineering from a UK university which is regularly ranked within the top 20 universities worldwide.

I have been working for eight years at several companies in Malaysia, and I currently earn RM5,000 per month.

Am I a success or a failure?

The answer to that lies in what we perceive to be successes or failures. Having served as a lecturer, salesperson, and engineer, I have been fortunate enough to meet many people and add their stories to my collection.

One night, as I was having supper at a burger stall in Petaling Jaya, the young man manning the stall started a conversation with me. He was 16 and had dropped out of school, he explained, as studying was just not interesting to him. But “rather than sitting at home where I will quarrel with my parents and siblings”, he chose to “do something where I am independent and won’t be a burden to my parents”.

Is he a success or a failure?

When I was 16, my parents prepared all my meals. They did all my dishes and laundry. They drove me everywhere I needed to be. All I had to do was “study and get good grades”. Yet, I would say that the aforementioned young man showed much more maturity than most 16-year-olds (my younger self definitely included). Given the right guidance and support, he would probably go far in life. After all, he is already gaining skills that many fresh university graduates do not have.

Several years ago, I was lecturing pre-university courses at a college in Kuala Lumpur. One of my students was forced into studying science-based subjects, as her parents wanted very much for her to become a doctor. Needless to say, she did not achieve the required grades (not a single A on her certificate) and ended up getting a degree in visual effects.

Is she a success or a failure?

Today, she is working (in Malaysia) for one of the world’s largest video game developers while studying for a master’s degree in creative multimedia. She is also an award-winning photographer. Yet, if her parents had not relented, she would not have been able to pursue her passion.

In my current job, part of my responsibilities includes hiring new employees. Recently, I received an application from a gentleman in his 40s. His SPM result slip showed only three credits. He then completed a certificate course at a vocational college in his hometown of Sitiawan.

Is he a success or a failure?

This gentleman started working for a local manufacturing company as an electrical chargeman in 1998, and was later promoted to the roles of a maintenance technician, production supervisor, team leader, and finally as an engineer. Pre-Covid, he had been working at the same company for 24 years.

If we rely on the factors commonly used by society to measure success at a young age – grades and education levels – the three individuals above would be deemed as failures. Similarly, if we rely on the factors commonly used by society to measure success as adults – job titles and salaries – many in society (as I have personally discovered) would consider me to be a failure.

My belief is that in chasing these successes, we have forgotten to find purpose in what we do. We chase artificial outcomes rather than the real journeys of growth.

Let us bring back an emphasis on values – the erosion of which has resulted in the difficulties faced by our nation. Integrity is being flushed down the drain, good old-fashioned hard work is increasingly hard to come by, and humility has also become a scarce commodity. Yet, let us not forget that the same issues befall every other country. It is simply a question of more or less; the grass is not always greener on the other side.

So in response to Parkaran’s question, let us not worry too much about where all the straight-A students have gone. After all, John F Kennedy once said: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” With the right set of values, there will be no mountain too high to climb nor river too wide to cross.

Mr 92 is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.