IPOH, May 7 (Bernama) -- Witnessing his parents struggle with health problems over the past few years has become the driving force for 18-year-old A. Divesh to excel academically and change his family’s circumstances for a better future.
The former student of SMJK San Min said he realised that only through education could he secure better employment opportunities and help ease his family’s burden.
“My father (C. Anbarasan, 51), who previously worked as an assistant manager at an entertainment centre in Genting Highlands, had to stop working in 2021 after being diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, while my mother (Ooi Paik Luan, 47), who worked at a hotel in the same area, retired early in 2019 after suffering a stroke.
“I turned these hardships into a source of strength to continue studying hard so that I can change my family’s fate one day,” he told Bernama after the Perak Menteri Besar’s Meet-and-Greet Session with Outstanding Students of the Cikgu Saarani Tuition Programme here today.
Earlier, Divesh was among 36 outstanding students under the Cikgu Saarani Tuition (TCS) Programme and the Perak Menteri Besar Scholarship who received special incentives amounting to RM36,000 in total at the event officiated by Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad.
The younger of two siblings, who scored 8A+, 1A and 1A- in the 2025 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, also said he had received an offer to further his studies at Gopeng Matriculation College and was awaiting several other suitable offers.
When asked about the incentive received, Divesh described it as a form of appreciation that would be put to good use in preparing for his studies and other basic necessities.
Meanwhile, Raja Intan Irdyna Raja Idzwan, 18, who obtained 8A in the SPM examination, said the TCS Programme had been one of the catalysts for her success by helping improve her understanding of subjects and boosting her confidence in facing examinations.
The former student of SMK Raja Permaisuri Bainun said the step-by-step learning approach implemented in the programme made it easier for her to understand subjects she had previously found difficult, while also providing opportunities to share knowledge with other students.
“For example, when I was in Form Four, I never scored an A in Mathematics. After joining this programme, and combined with my own effort and guidance from teachers, I eventually improved my performance and achieved better results in SPM,” she said.
Raja Intan said she had so far received an offer to further her studies at Perlis Matriculation College in accounting, and had also been called to attend an interview examination at the Institute of Teacher Education campus in Physical and Health Education.
She added that the incentive received would be utilised as best as possible to prepare for studies and purchase other necessities.
The TCS programme, introduced in 2010, has helped 250 students pursue studies in professional fields including medicine, engineering, the military and various other careers.
Meanwhile, the Perak Menteri Besar Scholarship introduced in 2019 has benefited 7,627 students sitting for the SPM, Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) examinations, involving allocations exceeding RM8.12 million.
The programme is expected to continue inspiring Perak youths to achieve greater success while strengthening efforts to produce a knowledgeable, competitive generation capable of contributing to the state’s future.
-- BERNAMA
