Emirati pupil reaches for the stars

'I picked mechanical engineering because it will allow me to join the UAE space programme,' says Mohammed Al Hashmi, who has won a scholarship from Abu Dhabi Education Council for his studies.

ABU DHABI // Emirati Mohammed Al Hashmi hopes his three A grades and one A* will be the launch pad to a career in the space industry.

The Al Yasmina School pupil now plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Bath in England.

“I picked mechanical engineering because it will allow me to join the UAE space programme,” said the 18-year-old, who has won a scholarship from Abu Dhabi Education Council for his studies.

He put his A-Level success down to hard work, dedication, and support from others.

“My family and teachers played a major role in me achieving such high scores,” he said.

“I used to spend more time at school as I was a head boy who assisted other students and helped teachers.

“It’s very important to study and review each lesson every day to avoid any difficulties while studying and preparing for the final exams.”

Another high achieving pupil at Al Yasmina School was Iraqi Suma Al Baytee, 18, who achieved an A* and two As.

“When you are surrounded by people who provide the maximum support, encourage and inspire you, then it only requires a bit of hard work and concentration to achieve high scores,” said Suma, who is to take a dentistry degree at the University of Otago in New Zealand.

“I always wanted to be a dentist as for me it’s a profession where you get to help others, relieve their pain and make them look good,” she said.

Al Yasmina School pupils achieved a 100 per cent pass rate in A-Level examinations this academic year, with 74 per cent achieving one or more A* grades to B grades, a 10 per cent increase from last year.

Meanwhile, 35 per cent of pupils earned all A* or A grades, a rise of 30 per cent from last year.

“It’s a real joy to see the incredible hard work of our students, teachers, and parents reap such high rewards,” said Dr Tim Hughes, Al Yasmina Academy’s principal.

“Many congratulations go to all of our pupils for their exceptional results, and we wish them every success at their first-choice universities.”

Another high-achieving pupil was Indian student Tariq Shereef, who achieved four A*s at Gems Cambridge High School.

“Repetition and sticking to a certain schedule helped me a lot in achieving four A*s, along with the support of the school and family,” he said.

He will now attend the University of Sheffield in England to study chemical engineering.

newsdesk@thenational.ae

Updated: August 18, 2016, 12:00 AM