On 27th November 2021, the Year 2020 Excellent External Exams Award Ceremony was held. The event was live-streamed on the Kuen Cheng High School YouTube page and conducted virtually across the individual Zoom online classrooms for Senior Middle 1 and Senior Middle 3 students. The event objective was clear: to acknowledge both teachers’ and students’ tremendous effort in preparing for the year 2020 JUEC, SPM, and SUEC external examinations, and to recognize the stellar results attained.
The Award Ceremony
The awards ceremony kicked off with a speech delivered by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Tan Sri William Cheng. Tan Sri believes that the inherent responsibility of all students lies in the field of academics, stating that public examinations are a means of broadening our horizons intellectually and gaining insight into society. According to him, successful candidates of the examinations should take pride in such a fundamental achievement of theirs. Tan Sri then concluded by congratulating all students and advising them to continue the path up the right track.
Tan Sri William Cheng
Up next, the School Principal, Dr. Chua Lee Lee began her speech. According to her, the students developed a heightened level of self-control skills and a stronger sense of responsibility towards their academics, courtesy of the teachers’ continued support and guidance throughout the learning experience. A total of 483 students were commended for their outstanding achievement in the JUEC and SPM examinations.
Madam Chua Lee Lee
“There are no limits to learning,” Madam Chua asserted. She encouraged students to constantly expand their vision and widen their perspective of the world. In the midst of a fast-developing society, continuous learning is paramount to keep abreast of the current trends. She added that students must possess the capability of adapting to constant changes within their surroundings, and to develop competent communication skills.
The presentation of awards began. A total of 34 students clinched 6As in the JUEC examinations, whereas another 53 students garnered 7As. On the other hand, the podium of excellence stood for 4 magnificent students who obtained a total of 8As each in the JUEC examinations. The passing rates for all subjects were above 99%.
Students who obtained 8As in the 2020 JUEC Examinations.
After a pleasant rendition of the musical score “Merry-Go-Round of Life”, performed by members of the Kuen Cheng High School Philharmonic Orchestra, the SPM examinations awards presentation began. A total of 720 candidates sat for the SPM examinations in the year 2020. As compared with the year 2019, the number of students who garnered 5As and above increased by 3.39%. A total of 51 students received 11As, a total of 37 students received 12As, and a total of 12 students received 13As. Most astonishing of all was the exemplary achievement of Lim Jing, a former student of Kuen Cheng High School currently taking A-Levels at Sunway University. He obtained 11A+s in the SPM examinations.
Lim Jing, 11A+s
Lim Jing was invited to share his thoughts regarding this outstanding achievement of his, as well as the methods with which he studies. His presentation was split into 3 sections: condition, consistency, and mentality. The “condition of studying”, according to him, was one free of external factors. No televisions, no handphones—just soft background music and a book-laden table. Lim Jing stated that the background music offered a form of adjustment for his mind to condition itself into full study mode.
Lim Jing, Sharing Session
To be consistent throughout his studies, Lim Jing firmly resolved to setting a schedule every night to accommodate the upcoming day’s study routine. A phrase of his: “Invest 15 minutes of today drawing up plans for the 24 hours of tomorrow.” As for his mentality, Lim Jing stated that the accumulation of negative energy is inevitable. It is our choice whether or not to submit to its influence emotionally and spiritually. He ended his presentation by wishing students the best of luck in future examinations.
A dazzling performance ensued. The song “Si Si Qing Yi”, a winner of the 110th School Anniversary Song Writing Competition, was performed by a handful of students. A lyrical melody, an immersive background score, and a soprano passage so enticingly executed—it was no wonder that this song was chosen as a showcase in the awards ceremony.
Bahasa Malaysia Department, 100% passing rate
Next came the presentation of the External Exams Outstanding Achievement Award for teachers. Various subject departments were applauded for their successful guidance in helping students achieve stellar results in the JUEC, SPM, and SUEC examinations. A few instances were those of the Bahasa Malaysia Department and English Language Department, which saw students receive a 100% passing rate in the 2020 SPM and SUEC examinations. The presentation of the Tan Kan Kee Excellence Award for Independent Chinese Schools ensued. Kuen Cheng High School received the award for the Senior Mathematics Category, Senior Social Science Category, and the Senior Art Category. A Silver Award was also given to our School.
Tan Kan Kee Excellence Award for Independent Chinese Schools, Silver Award
The Administrative Department Head Award was presented next. Awards went to the Vice Principal, the Head of the Human Resources and Finance Department, Principal’s Office Administrator, Teachers’ Professional Development Executive, the Curriculum Planning and Development Executive, and the Digital Instruction Facilitator. Other departments comprising the Academic Department, the Discipline Department, the Counselling Department, the Co-Curricular Department, the Physical Education Department, the Secretary, and Public Relations Department, the Library, the General Affairs Department, the Information and Communication Technology Department also received the award.
Administrative Department Head Award
The Ceremony drew to an end with an undoubtedly beautiful classical piano music performance delivered by Ooi Xiao Ying, a student from Sr3ScA. Her rendition of Deux Arabesques No.1, a composition by the phenomenal maestro Claude Debussy, was music to the ears with a flowy grace and elegant touch, coupled with quietly complex dynamics and articulation. A performance to be beheld indeed.
The awards ceremony ended with a mightily gratifying bang. Successful or unsuccessful, all candidates of the JUEC, SPM, and SUEC external examinations should take pride in the varying degrees of achievements they attained. The future promises more obstacles to come. In this regard, an unyielding spirit serves as the ultimate weapon in the face of such challenges—or possibly, leverages.
Looking back, we should all proclaim ourselves as winners.
