Wednesday, February 10, 2010

November 20, 2009 15:32 PM

Stellar UPSR Results For Student Amid Grief

SEREMBAN, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- Siti Amynur Ain Putri cried tears of joy amid tears of grief when she received her Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) results in front of her mother's body.

Her mother, Rusmah Abdullah, 47, a cleaner, had died on Wednesday night due to low blood pressure after being confined in a hospital ward for two weeks.

When the examination results were announced at Sekolah Kebangsaan Taman Dusun Nyior, 12-year-old Siti was at a surau in Taman Dusur Nyior helping relatives prepare her mother's body for burial.

Other family members shed tears when the school's headmistress, Noreha Adam, personally delivered Siti's 5 As result minutes before the final prayers for Siti's mother were conducted at 11.30am yesterday.

"It saddens me that my mother is unable to see my results. She always reminded me that I was her only hope as my father died four years ago," Siti told Bernama, adding that she and her 14-year-old brother were now orphans.

Siti recounted the sacrifices made by her mother after her father died of tuberculosis, saying Rusmah had worked as a cleaner for a small budget hotel in Seremban town with a monthly income of RM500.

However, last April, Rusmah stopped working after Siti met with an accident which left her leg broken and the family lived on financial aid of RM400 a month.

"With the UPSR examinations nearing, I had to attend UPSR guidance classes at school because we could not afford tuition," she said.

Each day her mother would walk a kilometre to send food to her while she waited for the guidance classes to start, said Siti.

Meanwhile, Noreha Adam said she was shocked to hear what had befallen Siti on Wednesday night.

"Siti is the head prefect in our school. We knew she would pass the exam with flying colours. I went to the school very early in the morning so that I could deliver the results before her mother's body was buried Makam Tuan Haji Said muslim cemetary," said Noreha, who was accompanied by another teacher.

Before the silent crowd at the surau Noreha consoled the grieving girl, saying: "Your mother knows about your good results."

She said she would help Siti obtain a place in a fully residential school so that the girl could continue her studies and fulfil her dream of becoming a lecturer one day.

-- BERNAMA

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