PETALING JAYA: Strict routines of self-studying and plenty of familial support bore fruit for Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) 2020 candidates who scored top marks in the exams.

       This was especially needed as students throughout the country spent most of their 2020 academic year learning from home, without the benefit of face-to-face interaction with their friends and teachers.

       Diana Bah Said, 20, said she used to prepare her own notes and would have group studies online with her friends to revise what they had learnt.

       “It was not easy as there would be disturbances from my family or sometimes, the Internet connection would be lost,” she told The Star after finding out she obtained the perfect score of a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0 yesterday.

       Despite distractions from her family – there are five of them living at their home in Cameron Highlands – Diana said she owes her success to them.

       “They have always been very supportive and would buy me lots of workbooks to practise on,” said the student from SMK Sultan Ahmad Shah, Cameron Highlands.

       Family also proved to be a saving grace for Aina Shaahara Abdur Rahman, 20, whose parents would help source for research material, including asking their network, so that she could complete her coursework during the first movement control order.

       “They stepped in when I could not find the right thesis or reference books online,” she said, adding that she would sometimes use the Internet at her father’s grocery shop when the one at home was giving problems.

       “At the same time, I would help him with the work in the shop,” said the candidate from Sungai Buloh, Selangor, who scored a 3.84 in the exams.

       Muhammad Iqbal Fazeli Shah, who is also from Sungai Buloh, said he would be constantly messaging his teachers to ask questions during the various MCOs.

       The 20-year-old also said he would meet up with his friends for a lightning round group study in school during the exam period, which is when they were allowed to be in school due to the MCO rules in place at the time.

       His efforts paid off as he scored 3.50, a score he said was higher than what he had anticipated.

       Lee Xim Er, 20, turned to doing extra exercises, past year’s questions and writing her own notes to prepare for the exams.

       The candidate from Malacca High School also said she has her parents to thank for her 4.0 CGPA as they had provided her a conducive space to study as she felt mounting pressure and anxiety from not being able to study face-to-face in school.