Teacher Buys Armani Suit as Reward for Star Student

(NewsCore) - A British math teacher bought a talented student a $1,190 Armani suit with his own money to send the message that "high attainment brings high rewards."

Munif Zia, 37, imported the designer two-piece suit from Italy as a surprise for 16-year-old Ahmed Moula after the boy passed his high school math exam seven months early with top grades at Parkwood Academy in Sheffield, northern England.

"Ahmed comes from a Yemeni family, and at first, it was a struggle for them in this country," math director Zia told the Sheffield Star. "To get an A* [the highest grade available] was a tremendous achievement, and I thought it deserved recognition -- not just to reward Ahmed but to set a marker for the other students."

He said he decided to reward Moula with a high-end suit so he could wear it to interviews for top colleges in the area.

Moula, who hopes to study medicine after finishing school, said, "I love it. I'll probably wear it on special occasions like a wedding or prom. Hopefully, it will last a lifetime."

"Some people have laughed about spending that amount of money on a pupil, but I think it's worth it," Zia added.

Read more: The Star