Class of 2023 Yaqqin
Academic Excellence as Recompense for Mother's Sacrifices
Mr Michael de Silva (left) and Muhammad Yaqqin Mohd Yasin (right)
From the age of five, when Muhammad Yaqqin Mohd Yasin lost his father, his mother had to take on more responsibilities than just being the sole breadwinner of the family.
His mother, Ms. Maimoon Abdul, 59, became a source of inspiration and a pillar of unwavering support for the youngest child in the family.
Driven by his mother's sacrifice, Mr. Muhammad Yaqqin dedicated himself to striving and excelling in his studies, aiming to repay his mother's good deeds.
His excellent performance in the General Certificate of Education (GCE) 'A' level examination marks an important milestone in the life of the 19-year-old student.
On February 23, students from Yishun Innova Junior College (YIJC), including Mr. Muhammad Yaqqin, were among the 10,899 candidates who received their GCE 'A' level results.
Mr. Muhammad Yaqqin, who was from the Science stream, achieved an impressive score, 86.25, further strengthening his commitment to repay his mother's favor through academic excellence.
During a meeting with the Berita Harian (BH) team, he shared that his father suffered from a heart attack and passed away, causing his mother to support three children alone.
"Not only did she take care of us, but she also had to work to support us as a family. The first few months were quite challenging for us. Not only did we lose the sole breadwinner, but we also lost our father, the leader of our family,” said Mr. Muhammad Yaqqin.
His mother had to take on the role of his late father in handling household matters, and they had to live with his aunt for some time.
Collecting the GCE ‘A’ level results was an exciting and fulfilling experience, mingled with disbelief.
"I didn't expect that I would be able to achieve these results. The experience of going through these exams is not an easy one and I encountered much difficulty in answering some challenging questions during exams. Not to mention for someone who had to transition from polytechnic to JC.
"This transition has had its own set of challenges, making this achievement more meaningful for me. I'm proud and grateful for how far I've come," Mr. Muhammad Yaqqin said, while expressing relief and gratitude.
He acknowledged the challenges at JC which requires students to have comprehensive knowledge at all prior academic levels, and after hearing a wide range of experiences about studying at JC, which is often described as a difficult experience, with having not enough sleep and experiencing fatigue before the start of the exam.
Prior to this, he studied at Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) in Pharmaceutical Science for a year and then made the switch to junior college for more a more structured learning environment.
The JC route offered him more time to explore educational plans and consider future career goals.
He was alone on the day of the decision, in the absence of his mother, his brother (33 years old) who serves in the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA), and his sister (28 years old) who teaches the subjects of History and Social Studies at Admiralty Secondary School.
Mr. Muhammad Yaqqin obtained an ‘A’ grade for Biology (H2), Chemistry (H2) and Mathematics (H2), ‘B’ for Economics (H1) and ‘C’ for General Paper (H1).
He intends to pursue medicine and plans to pursue his studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS) or Nanyang Technological University (NTU).
"I want to repay my mother's unwavering support and lend a helping hand to other family members who have supported me. I hope to also continue to contribute to YIJC because I believe in its potential.
"I have observed the diligence and determination of many YIJC students, despite various challenges they face. I'm confident that with the right opportunities, they would excel I want to return to my alma mater and make a positive contribution to the school," he said.
Original source: https://www.beritaharian.sg/singapura/kecemerlangan-akademik-sebagai-balas-jasa-ibu