12th February
By Isabella Perrin@IsabellaHPerrin
Audience and Content Editor
Mahnoor Cheema, 17, from Slough (Image: SWNS)
BRITAN'S smartest teenager studying 28 A levels is calling for more support for gifted pupils as she admitted that teachers struggled to keep up with her.
17-year-old Mahnoor Cheema from Slough, holding an IQ of 161, is appealing for better support for gifted youngsters.
The prodigy, who is taking 28 A-Levels and achieved 34 A*s in her GCSEs argues that teachers struggle to accommodate her due to their lack of knowledge about recognising and nurturing exceptional talent.
Having moved to Britain from Pakistan at the age of nine, Ms Cheema revealed her initial school - Colnbrook Church of England Primary School in Berkshire - declined to let her proceed to the next educational level.
Despite her swift completion of assignments, the school added extra maths to her workload but refused any advancement.
Ms Cheema said: "I feel we are wasting so much talent in the UK.
"I think there are so many kids who had talent to do so much but it was wasted because no one recognised their potential or knew what to do with it."
Upon transferring to Langley Grammar School, she conveyed that the teaching staff discouraged her from taking GCSE exams.
The school contended that Ms Cheema was over-tasked, sporting dark circles under her eyes.
Even when parents intervened to assist their stressed daughter, they were dubbed 'pushy.' She presented a striking contrast between mathematics education in the UK and Pakistan.
According to Ms Cheema, third-grade students in Pakistan could tackle tests designed for 11-year-old British pupils, revealing that maths in the British education system is "very slow."
Expressing dissatisfaction at the lack of understanding in UK schools, Ms Cheema is urging an increase in support for gifted children in state schools nationwide, similar to the additional assistance provided to those with special educational needs.
Despite her impressive demonstration of academic prowess with 33 top-graded GCSEs, it was not an easy journey for the gifted scholar.
She confessed to struggling with school social dynamics and found it hard to relate to her peers, opting to read works by Plato and Socrates instead of popular teen books.
Accepting academic challenges eagerly, Ms Cheema aced every entrance exam for schools within a 20-mile radius of her residence, earning the top spot in three counties.
She is a recognised member of Mensa, needing to score within the top 2 per cent of the general population in a sanctioned intelligence test to qualify.
Ms Cheema's bright family includes a sister who is a national maths champion with an IQ of 161, a nine-year-old brother who is a grade-four piano player, a barrister father, and a mother with two degrees in economics.
Currently, Ms Cheema is flourishing at Henrietta Barnett School in North London, where in addition to her academic pursuits, she is part of a swimming team, enjoys horse riding, and regularly attends concerts with friends.
British-Pakistani girl, 16, sets record by passing 34 subjects in GCSE exam
The photo taken on August 25, 2023, shows Mahnoor Cheema, a 16-year-old British-Pakistani girl, who has set a new record by passing 34 subjects at the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level in the United Kingdom.
Mahnoor Cheema, whose parents belong to Lahore, says she wanted to attempt the GCSE exam in around 50 subjects
ISLAMABAD: Mahnoor Cheema, a 16-year-old British-Pakistani girl, has set a new record by passing 34 subjects at the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level in the United Kingdom (UK), Pakistani media reported on Friday.
This is the highest number of subjects ever taken by a student in the history of the UK and European Union (EU) GCSEs. The 16-year-old cleared 17 subjects with A* grade as a private candidate in year 10, while on Thursday, she added another 17 to the list, setting a new record.
“I have done 34 subjects on GCSE-level and I have secured A* in all those subjects. I am the first student to have secured such an achievement,” Cheema told Pakistan's Geo News channel in an interview.
“I have done six languages and such a record never existed in the world before.”
Cheema’s father, Barrister Usman Cheema, and mother, Tayyaba Cheema, hail from the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. The couple moved to the UK in 2006 in order to pursue further education at Lincoln’s Inn and SOAS, respectively.
Cheema, who studied at the Langley Grammar School in West London, said she had decided to attempt the GCSE exam in around 50 subjects.
“I had planned from the start that I have to do a lot of subjects. I had planned to do around 50, but unfortunately the British education system did not cooperate with me despite multiple requests [and] I had to drop several subjects,” she said.
“Last year, I cleared 17 subjects and this year too I cleared 17; 10 via school and seven privately.”
Cheema’s mother, Tayyaba, said ever since her daughter entered the 9th year, she wanted to do “something for humanity” and was passionate about medicine.
“When she entered the 9th grade, she said ‘I want do something for humanity’,” Tayyaba said of her daughter. “She was passionate about medicine, chose the subjects herself. While studying one subject... she chose the rest along with it.”
In 2021, Cheema undertook an IQ test by Mensa, the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world, in which she scored 161 — ahead of renowned scientist Albert Einstein, who was said to have an IQ of 160.
“Einstein’s IQ was rumored to be 160, mine was 161 [in Mensa test]. I have a lot of interest in medicine, not just to further career for myself but to do something for humanity,” the 16-year-old said.
“I always had this idea since I was young to leave a mark on the world and my parents have always supported me in this endeavor.”
Cheema said she was an Oxford University aspirant and was hopeful of going to the prestigious institute in the next two years.
The photo taken on August 25, 2023, shows Mahnoor Cheema, a 16-year-old British-Pakistani girl, who has set a new record by passing 34 subjects at the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level in the United Kingdom.
(Photo courtesy: @PTANews_/Twitter)
Updated 27 August 2023
ARAB NEWS PAKISTAN
This is the highest number of subjects ever cleared by a student at the General Certificate of Secondary Education-level
Updated 27 August 2023
ARAB NEWS PAKISTAN
This is the highest number of subjects ever cleared by a student at the General Certificate of Secondary Education-level
Mahnoor Cheema, whose parents belong to Lahore, says she wanted to attempt the GCSE exam in around 50 subjects
ISLAMABAD: Mahnoor Cheema, a 16-year-old British-Pakistani girl, has set a new record by passing 34 subjects at the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level in the United Kingdom (UK), Pakistani media reported on Friday.
This is the highest number of subjects ever taken by a student in the history of the UK and European Union (EU) GCSEs. The 16-year-old cleared 17 subjects with A* grade as a private candidate in year 10, while on Thursday, she added another 17 to the list, setting a new record.
“I have done 34 subjects on GCSE-level and I have secured A* in all those subjects. I am the first student to have secured such an achievement,” Cheema told Pakistan's Geo News channel in an interview.
“I have done six languages and such a record never existed in the world before.”
Cheema’s father, Barrister Usman Cheema, and mother, Tayyaba Cheema, hail from the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore. The couple moved to the UK in 2006 in order to pursue further education at Lincoln’s Inn and SOAS, respectively.
Cheema, who studied at the Langley Grammar School in West London, said she had decided to attempt the GCSE exam in around 50 subjects.
“I had planned from the start that I have to do a lot of subjects. I had planned to do around 50, but unfortunately the British education system did not cooperate with me despite multiple requests [and] I had to drop several subjects,” she said.
“Last year, I cleared 17 subjects and this year too I cleared 17; 10 via school and seven privately.”
Cheema’s mother, Tayyaba, said ever since her daughter entered the 9th year, she wanted to do “something for humanity” and was passionate about medicine.
“When she entered the 9th grade, she said ‘I want do something for humanity’,” Tayyaba said of her daughter. “She was passionate about medicine, chose the subjects herself. While studying one subject... she chose the rest along with it.”
In 2021, Cheema undertook an IQ test by Mensa, the largest and oldest high-IQ society in the world, in which she scored 161 — ahead of renowned scientist Albert Einstein, who was said to have an IQ of 160.
“Einstein’s IQ was rumored to be 160, mine was 161 [in Mensa test]. I have a lot of interest in medicine, not just to further career for myself but to do something for humanity,” the 16-year-old said.
“I always had this idea since I was young to leave a mark on the world and my parents have always supported me in this endeavor.”
Cheema said she was an Oxford University aspirant and was hopeful of going to the prestigious institute in the next two years.
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