City News speaks to five students with outstanding O-Level scores for 2010 and finds out how they overcame the challenges faced.
The GCE O-Levels is an annual examination conducted in Singapore, taken by students at the end of their fourth or fifth year in secondary school, mostly at age 16.
It is also often the most stressful period of the year for the students as many face the pressure to perform up to expectations; for some, to exceed expectations. The scores attained will determine the students’ eligibility to enter the tertiary institution of their choice.
For the year 2010, there were five students, among several others, who in spite of their difficult circumstances, remained undeterred; and continued to work as hard as they could to finish this final lap of the race victoriously.
Tabitha Tan Pei Shan (6 Points)
A Girl Guide from CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, with an O-Level score of 6, Tabitha Tan Pei Shan revealed that school life was not always a bed of roses. After the school’s preliminary examinations, Tabitha found studying for the O-Levels increasingly exhausting as she was “burning out.”
But each time she felt like giving up, Tabitha always encouraged herself with the Bible verse, Philippians 4:13, which says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Together with the prayers of her parents and her cell group leader and members from City Harvest Church, Tabitha attributes her perseverance to the power of prayer and the grace of God.
Jael Tan Jing Yi (6 points)
During the examination period, Jael Tan Jing Yi did not cut back on serving in her cell group as a connect group co-ordinator. Although her biggest challenge was the lack of time to thoroughly revise each and every subject, the student from Nan Hua High School remained faithful in prayer.
When her results came out, Jael found that she had managed to pull up her typically weaker subjects such as Math and Science from a failing grade of F9 to a top grade of A1, attaining an O-Level score of 6 points.
Jael is planning to enter Anglo-Chinese Junior College to pursue a humanities program.
Tan Yuan Rong (6 points)
As the head counselor of Victoria School, chairman of a peer support board, member of the choir and a 6-pointer for the O-Levels, Tan Yuan Rong is one with an all-rounded school life.
Despite his many duties in school, Yuan Rong still finds time to serve in the Usher Ministry in CHC. He quotes from Matthew 5:13-16, that one must be “the salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.”
Planning to carve his career in the finance industry, Yuan Rong’s next step is to first enter Raffles Junior College, join the student council and work toward a campus revival.
Hua Xin Yi (8 points)
The quartermaster of the wind orchestra at Yishun Town Secondary School, Hua Xin Yi revealed that her biggest challenge during the O-Levels was being consistent in her revision.
The 8-pointer for the O-Levels shared that her added motivation was the fact that her peers were also running in the race, studying hard together with her. Xin Yi is also thankful for her parents who never gave her added stress, but consistently encouraged her and told her to simply “try her best.”
She plans to enter Nanyang Junior College to pursue a science program.
Josiah Chow Yang (6 points)
“Aside from my parents and teachers’ expectations to do well, the biggest challenge I faced was being distracted by computer games!” confessed Josiah.
So big was the pull of his gaming habit that the Victoria School student, who is also a member of the drama club, decided that he would not let his distraction get the better of him; he ended up pulling the plug of his Internet cable.
Thanks to his determination, Josiah scored an impressive 6 points for his O-Levels, with an A grade for Chinese—a subject he used to fail.
Josiah plans to further his studies at Victoria Junior College.
The O-Level examination is not just academic in nature, it is one that allows the individual to undergo psychological, emotional, physical and spiritual testing.
Although many of their challenges faced were daunting and dispiriting at times, these five students never threw in the towel. They worked tirelessly and never stopped relying on God’s strength, making each of them more than conquerors.
