Terengganu SPM top scorer woke up at 3am to study

By NST in April 24, 2025 – Reading time 1 minute

KUALA TERENGGANU: Nik Nurul Hannan Nik Mohd Akbari, who scored 11A+ in the 2024 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, followed a disciplined routine that included waking up at 3am daily to revise, after ensuring she had enough rest the night before.

The student from Sekolah Menengah Agama (SMA) Shaikh Abdul Malek was one of only 11 students in Terengganu to achieve straight 11A+ results.

“My daily routine was to sleep after performing the Isyak prayer and wake up at 3am to study until 6.30am.

“I didn’t attend any extra tuition classes, but I made sure to stay focused during school lessons,” said Hannan.

Hailing from Kampung Seberang Baruh, she did not stay in the school hostel but instead commuted about 12 kilometres daily with her father, who is the principal of a private religious school.

“I also performed the Tahajjud prayer every night and focused on early morning study sessions in the three months leading up to the examinations.

“On the way to school, I would recite selawat (praises for the Prophet) and perform the solat hajat, praying for Allah’s blessings and guidance,” said the aspiring engineer, who plans to further her studies at Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.