By Gavin Mackintosh-
The academic prowess of Mahnoor Cheema, a 16-year-old Pakistani-British student, who etched her name in history by acing a record-breaking 34 subjects at the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level, is to be included in wide research about talented students who achieve great feats.
The research examines the factors that make certain youngsters so focused to the extent of achieving incredible feats, and is to includes the story of the Imifiadon family- twins at age 9 who became the youngest children in the UK to attend high school in 2010 -, and 9 year old Lauren Simons,who completed an electrical engineering at the age of 9.
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Also included in the research is 25 year old old Wajid Ahmed, who at 14 was the youngest student to begin a university degree (at Southampton University) after achieving four As at A levels, and Jack Graham who achieved a Maths GCSE exam at age 8.
Others include, 19 year old Esther Akade, who achieved a GCSE pass grade of C at the tender age of 6 in 2010, and Dee Ali, who achieved her GCSE at the age of 5. These stories or reflect instances of high genius , dedication, and inspiration, likely backed by parental encouragement and supervision.
Learning from all the factors that contribute to such outstanding achievements is helpful to the overall gathering of knowledge and insight.
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The Department of education confirmed to The Eye Of Media that Cheema took 17 subjects over two years. Her tenacity and fortitude of interest to researchers.
A spokesperson from the Department of Education said: ”there are many available subjects offered by different exam boards, so students have a wide variety of subjects to choose from.
‘Some schools offer subjects that may not be on offer by other schools, but students can enter for as many subjects as they wish. Students do not need to take more than between 9 – 12 subjects, and why a student would want to take 34 subjects is a matter for them.
‘Some students may be interested in many different subjects’.
Students are generally advised not to take more than 16 subjects for their GCSE subjects, since there are some students who are interested in multiple subjects, and who are bright and committed enough to take them on.
Private school students are known to produce a higher fraction of very hardworking students because of the high price their parents are paying for their education, and the various influences from their classmates whose respect they often crave, as children coming from well to do homes, who must be seen to be knowledgeable, intelligent, and living up to the expected education associated with the high fees they pay.
Dedication
Taking so many subjects over two years demonstrates a high level of focus, dedication, and ambition, leading to the question of how Cheena maintained a high level of interest in preparing for 34 subjects over two years while being so committed.
Why a teenager would want to take so many subjects is a curious question with an answer that connects to pushy and ambitious parents.
Leading the broad research, Naz Rani, an established business woman and researcher with two Masters degree- one in Mathematics and another in Education, said that the power of discipline and encouragement can be every strong in the life of some teenagers.
She told this publication: ‘A teenager’s environment is very important in their development. A child who has ambitious parents who grew up in a competitive environment is more likely to be very ambitious themselves, sometimes pushing the boundaries to stand out.
‘Some parents were themselves driven by their parents to stand out in their academics and achieve remarkably high goals, and go on to eventually pass on this same passion to their children.
‘Sometimes the child themselves may have inherited an incredible amount of natural drive and passion when born to parents who were themselves pushed.
‘You find children like this in every country, but they are more concentrated in populated third world countries like Pakistan, India, and some African countries.
‘Standing out in life is a positive goal to have, but parents should be careful not to push their children too much.
‘The drive in countries like Pakistan and India and some other countries is very high because it is a very competitive environment.
‘Pupils have to work very hard right from their primary school because of the tough standard of education which requires hard work just to pass, let alone do well.
‘Over the generations, you will find some teenagers who are extremely hardworking and driven.
‘Such children also exist in the UK, since the Britain also has many very ambitious parents and worked very hard in their younger years and excelled.
‘Great minds are borne out of a lot of hard work and positive encouragement, and when you get naturally gifted people nurturing very high ambitions and working very hard, some of their offspring down the line can simply be extra ordinary.
‘Children of hardworking lawyers, authors, philosophers, psychologists, are likely to be naturally hardworking if pushed from a young age to aspire to great heights and stand out’
Exceptional
Mahnoor’s exceptional journey has not only elevated her as a beacon of inspiration but also sparked conversations about the role of extraordinary talent and unrelenting hard work in achieving such extraordinary heights.
Her academic feat is unlike any other, as she takes center stage for accomplishing the highest number of subjects ever attempted by a student in the history of UK and EU GCSEs.
Hailing from a lineage of academic excellence, Mahnoor’s parents, Barrister Usman Cheema and Tayyaba Cheema, embarked on a journey from Pakistan’s Lahore to the UK in 2006 to pursue advanced education at prestigious institutions.
Meanwhile, Mahnoor, armed with an insatiable hunger for learning, embarked on her educational voyage at Langley Grammar School in West London, following her initial studies at a private school in Lahore.
Her astonishing accomplishment is not confined to academia alone. Mahnoor’s intellectual prowess extends to her IQ, which registers at a staggering 161 on the Mensa IQ Test—surpassing the iconic Albert Einstein, believed to possess an IQ of 160.
Positioned within the top 1% of the world’s population for intellectual ability, Mahnoor’s exceptional gift is undeniable.
However, her success should be treated with caution, as it could come at the expense of very important social skills.
Researcher and tutor, Claire Colman said : ”I suppose some students are really driven in the pursuit of knowledge and excellence, but whether that is a worthy trade off for some social skills is another question.
”Undoubtedly some people are at the very highest tier of natural intelligence, and when added to hard work down the generation, some people can achieve what they set out to do.
”This student obviously wanted to make a statement that she can expand her knowledge and abilities to pass that number of subjects, and she did.
‘However, students who focus on 12 subjects can also learn a lot if they are focused and passionate about learning. There would be GCSE students who in the course of their two year preparation for exams also read outside of their academic curriculum just for general knowledge’
Her foray into music, first reported by Geo tv further underscores her multifaceted talents, having achieved distinction in both ABRSM Music Theory and Practical at Grade 8.
Earning the distinction of one of the youngest individuals in the UK pursuing a music diploma, Mahnoor’s accolades continue to astound.
However, her ambitions stretch far beyond individual accomplishments.
Fueled by an unyielding desire to serve humanity, Mahnoor’s sights are set on a career in medicine, firmly solidified by her exceptional track record.
Her unwavering passion propelled her to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) and the Biomedical Admissions Test (BMAT) at the age of 15, securing a score of 3,290 and landing in the 99th percentile of test-takers.
In an exclusive interview with Geo News, Mahnoor expounded on her formula for success: “I’m a highly driven individual. I’ve always understood that hard work would be required with aspirations like mine, and I’ve never backed down from a challenge.”
Her meticulous time management skills, her intrinsic ability to retain information, and her constant pursuit of knowledge contributed to her meteoric rise.
Mahnoor’s exceptional achievements have not obscured her pursuit of a balanced life.
A firm believer in the “work hard, play hard” ethos, she enjoys leisure activities like playing the piano, horse riding, swimming, chess, and spending time with family and friends.
Her parents, fervent supporters of her journey, expressed profound pride in their daughter’s accomplishments and hold unwavering faith in her bright future.
Barrister Usman Cheema acknowledged the pivotal role Mahnoor’s teachers played, while Tayyaba Cheema, a double-masters-degree holder herself, meticulously guided her daughter’s academic pursuits.
The legacy Mahnoor has carved resonates far beyond individual achievement, breaking records and raising aspirations. With eyes set on the future, this prodigious student represents the epitome of dedication and intellect, breathing life into dreams that defy age and challenge conventions.
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