Ever since our Education Sponsorship for Children programme began in 2008, we’ve never had any of the sponsored children sitting for their SPM. So I was never really bothered when SPM results were announced.
That was until last year when 5 of our sponsored children sat for their SPM. Even so, on the day the results were announced last week, initially things didn’t really register to me, until the next day when one of them called me up, seeking my advice on what courses and which varsities he should apply for with the kind of results he got.
I then remembered that there were a few other children who would have gotten their results as well, so I called up Aini. Apparently her daughter did try to call me the day before to inform me of her results, but somehow she couldn’t reach me. She had gone to a cyber cafe to do her online application, but got confused. So on Friday I went over to her house, with my netbook and usb modem, so we could go through the website together.
But for someone who sat for her SPM yonks ago, I wasn’t too familiar with the online application either. We did however, browse though the courses available and minimum qualifications needed for each course, so the girl could decide which course she should apply for. I thought of going again over the weekend to finalise things with her, but they were going to KL to a relative’s house. However on Saturday night, the girl texted me to inform me that she had already submitted her online application from her cousin’s house.
On Saturday I called Sofie to find out how her son fared in the exams. The boy, Azlan, was at work (he had been working temporarily to help out with the family’s finances especially since lately Sofie had not been feeling too well and had not been selling nasi lemak as usual) and Sofie couldn’t really answer the questions I asked her about Azlan’s results and application to further his studies. She could only tell me that he is interested to further his studies, but is thinking of doing so only after Sofie gets better. I told her that even if he applies now, if offered, the courses will only start probably in July. Sofie then gave me Azlan’s number so I could speak to him personally.
Azlan had always been the quiet type. He doesn’t talk much even when I speak to him face to face. Speaking to him over the phone is even worse. How was I supposed to get info from him? I finally decided to send him a text message, and whaddaya know… it was much easier getting info from him that way!
When he confirmed that he indeed was interested to further his studies, I asked if he had already bought the Unik ID from BSN, needed for all the online applications. He didn’t even know what it was. Oh dear. Closing date is 2nd April. No point asking him to go get the Unik ID, with the job that he’s doing now, he won’t have the time to go to the bank to do so. He did pass his maths, so he should qualify for the certificate courses at IKM at least. I will be going over to meet Sofie today to get Azlan’s results and whatever other details needed for the online application.
Yesterday Hana called me up. Her daughter too sat for her SPM last year and is now unsure of what course to take up and so Hana was seeking my advice. She called from her workplace and couldn’t answer me when I asked for details of her daughter’s results, so I couldn’t really suggest what courses to her. However, she said she’d be coming to Ipoh for her appointment at the hospital tomorrow, so she’d bring along a copy of the results for me to have a look and then suggest the relevant courses. After Azlan’s ignorance about the Unik ID, I wonder if this girl had got hers. I’ll find out tomorrow.
So yeah, ever since the results were announced last Wednesday, I had been surfing the UPU MOHE website for an intensive study of all the courses available. Hopefully by next year, I’ll be more ready when the SPM results are announced. I have a few more sponsored children sitting for their SPM this year…
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