CHERAS: Tuition teacher Subash Abdullah, 55, proved age is no barrier when he scored 12As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.Subash, from Cheras Perdana, has retaken the exam for more than seven years, including a resit last July.He said his goal was not to improve past grades or show off, but to motivate his SPM students."The reason I sat for the SPM exam was to understand the marking scheme, and the best way to do that is by becoming a candidate myself."Moreover, as a tuition teacher for Mathematics, Additional Mathematics, and Science subjects such as Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, I need to teach my students the correct answering techniques so they can better grasp the exam experience."Indirectly, I can also inspire my SPM students to study together and aim for excellent results," he said.Subash said one of his biggest joys was sitting alongside students in the exam hall.

"It was really enjoyable and felt like being 17 again. But the nerves were still there, and I think that's normal every time you're about to sit for an exam."I prepared as usual, and the hardest subject for me was Tasawwur Islam, since I only embraced Islam seven years ago. But thankfully, I managed to get an A in that subject," said Subash, who has run a tuition centre for 10 years.He plans to sit for SPM again this year, with 12 subjects in total.He hopes his effort inspires not only students but also the wider public, regardless of age, to pursue the SPM."I encourage anyone with the desire to sit for the SPM to go for it. There is no age limit for SPM, but not many people know this, and it's disheartening to learn that over 8,000 candidates were absent for the written exam."Even parents can sit for the SPM alongside their children if they want to, which could boost their children's motivation even more."Just imagine if an entire family sat for the SPM in the same year — that would be something really special and could strengthen family bonds," he said.