ISLAMABAD:
The excitement of d-day has yet to fizzle out, as students who did well in their Advanced (A) and Ordinary (O) levels gush about their grades.
On the flipside, those who didn’t quite make the grade are blaming the system for the newfangled ‘harsh’ grading system. The spur caused by the results announced by The University of Cambridge International Examination on Thursday can be observed in students, teachers and parents alike.
“I’m overwhelmed!” said Maham Faisal, who aced her A Levels with 4 A*s in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and English Literature this year. She is a student of Headstart School and has already gotten into The Oxford University for a BA in Psychology. “Took a long time. Five interviews and one exam. Messed up my AS levels last year but I’m there,” she smiled.
Beaming over his five straight As, Ibrahim Shahid was visibly overjoyed. “I would definitely get into any university of the world. But I will return to my country after the completion of my studies to serve my nation.” Ibrahim set a new record amongst his peers by bagging 25 As in his O levels. He said his consistent hard work finally paid off.
A proud mother of two high-achievers, Dr Naima Nawaz told The Express Tribune, “Maryam, my daughter scored 2 A*s and my son, Umar got 3 As.”
“It’s a great feeling for any parent. Yet grades alone are not enough nowadays. Kids need to be all-rounders. Times have changed; you have to have a talent.”
As a general pattern, students involved in extra curricular students performed exceptionally well. The reason was to make easy the accessibility of teachers to the students. Sana Waqar, who scored over 90 per cent or A*s in nine A’ Level exams, is popular for being an active member of the dramatics and debates society in her school.
“I often missed my classes due to actively participate in debates and sports competitions, but that confidence also helped me in my academic activities,” Sana said. She wants to become doctor, but hasn’t quite ruled out the option of pursuing engineering after getting an A* in Mathematics.
Visibly pleased with how her students performed, Ayesha Aziz of Beaconhouse School Margalla Campus revealed the “winning tip” she gives to her students: “We suggest our students to take 15 minutes break in their studies after 45 minutes studies because fresh minds can perform better.”
Published in The Express Tribune, August 13th, 2011.
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