KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — While most people his age are planning their retirement, 55-year-old Subash Abdullah is still sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam – and acing it.
Subash, who first sat for his SPM back in 1987, scored 12 As for 2024, including in additional mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and Islamic studies.
In fact, the straight-A student has been taking the school-leaving examination annually for the past five years – not to chase grades, but to spark a conversation.
A former film director who now tutors secondary school students wants to prove that science subjects are not just for “the smart kids” and change the declining trend of interest in the science stream.
He’s hoping that his hands-on methods would encourage more students – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds – to not be afraid to study for the SPM exam, and pursue science.
“I didn’t do this to upgrade my result,” Subash told Malay Mail in an interview yesterday.
“I did it because I wanted to understand why so many students are avoiding the science stream. I’m concerned. It feels like we’re losing a generation of scientists, doctors, engineers.
“I wanted to see for myself – is the syllabus too hard? Is the teaching not effective? Why are 8,000 students choosing not to sit for SPM at all?”
Here’s how Subash performed in his 2024 SPM.
The repeat SPM taker
For many, sitting for the SPM is challenging enough once, but for Subash, there is a deeply personal reason for what others would deem a madness.
Growing up poor in Batang Berjuntai (now known as Bestari Jaya) as the youngest of seven siblings, the Selangorian sold cucur udang, popiah and orchid flowers door to door to help the family make ends meet.
Being the only ethnic Indian student in a Chinese school, he remembers being bullied and begged his mother to let him go to a public school along with his other siblings, but to no avail.
In the end, he persevered, learnt the language, and won the respect of his teachers and peers.
“Because I could speak Chinese, I did well with selling the kuih and my mother saw something in me. She said I should be a teacher. I didn’t like the idea back then, I wanted to be a doctor and save lives. Today, I see why she believed in that dream,” said Subash, now based in Cheras Perdana.
He now runs a tuition centre and mentors students who’ve dropped out or are afraid of failing.
He even takes the SPM exam alongside some of them to show it can be done.
He said he is successful because of his hands-on approach.
“I tell my students – we’ll sit for it together. I’ll register as a private candidate like you. I’ll guide you through. I want to be someone who not only teaches but walks the journey with them,” he said.
Subash (with goatee) poses for a picture with some of his students at the tuition centre. — Picture courtesy of Subash Abdullah
By going through the process with them, not only does he learn the patterns of questions and the syllabus, but also the standard operating procedures, the marking system and more.
“A simple example is most students are told to use a pen, but they are not allowed a liquid corrector. Their work becomes messy and they are limited in space, which can affect the marks.
“So I’ve tested this out and used a pencil so I can correct things easily. You save space on working on the answers too. I got an A+ with my pencil,” he said.
Education feeds those with ‘nothing’
Subash believes science shouldn’t be treated as an “elite” stream, reserved only for the academically gifted.
“It’s not about being smart. It’s also about strategy, motivation, and finding the right method. Students need encouragement, not fear of failure. And teachers should be giving them better tools to help them achieve the best,” he said.
Subash hopes his story sends a message to students who feel discouraged.
“Education fed me when I had nothing. After my mother passed away, it was the only thing that kept me going. And now, I want these kids to see that it’s still their best chance – not just to survive, but to succeed.”
When asked why he continues doing this, year after year, Subash said that he believed there was so much more that could be achieved.
“Sometimes, I get to change someone’s direction in life, and I am so grateful to my mother for seeing this in me,” he said.
