Poor PSLE results changed her

When she received her Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results six years ago, she was disheartened.

Her score was 188 out of 300.

It was seen as a let-down because she was in Singapore Chinese Girls' School (Primary).

She knew that an A for Chinese, Bs for science and English, and a D for mathematics were not good enough to secure a place in SCGS for her secondary education.

So instead, she chose to study an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma at St. Joseph's Institution International School (SJI International).

Miss Melyssa Lim, 18, said: "I wasn't crushed by my results, but I regretted not studying hard enough because I was playful back then. PSLE was a turning point for me, and I personally felt the need to wake up."

She saw her friends who got better scores for PSLE crying tears of joy. It made her more upset.

Miss Lim eventually did wake up and scored 40 points out of the maximum score of 45 when she received her IB results yesterday.

"I am happy with the results because I would be able to study what I want in university, which is interior and spatial design in the UK.

"And I know that I've come a long way from PSLE."

NEW ATTITUDE

Miss Lim adopted a different attitude towards her studies and put in a lot more effort than she did in primary school.

As mathematics was her weakest subject, she set aside two hours every weekend to practise sums.

She attended tuition classes twice a week, formed study groups and met with her classmates after school hours to clear her doubts.

She managed to get a perfect score of seven for her Math Studies subject.

Ms Cheryl Wee, 37, Miss Lim's private tutor since her primary school days, said: "When I took Melyssa on in her early years, her confidence took a severe beating with her PSLE score.

"But I believed she would turn around and now, she has grown into a confident, beautiful and dedicated problem-solver."

Ms Wee said: "Nothing is impossible if you will yourself to try and keep trying. Never give up."

Miss Lim's mother, Dr Ann Tan, a gynaecologist in her 50s, said: "She was insecure about her abilities before, and she had tuition to assist her to get through the difficult years in primary school.

"Once in SJI International, she matured, and she put in a lot of effort to do well. I am very grateful that she has turned out so well."

Said Miss Lim: "I won't sugarcoat it for those who don't do well for PSLE. Take a while to absorb that you've received this score, but also think about what you can do better next.

"It's important to remember that only you can help yourself."

mheng@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on January 6, 2016.
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