DISABLED STUDENT BRAVES DAILY BOAT JOURNEY TO SCHOOL IN TUMPAT DESPITE BONE CONDITION

TUMPAT, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- For 19-year-old Siti Nur Najwa Zulkifli, the journey to knowledge begins long before she steps into a classroom, as she bravely takes a boat every day from Kampung Pulau Tongkang to school, despite living with physical limitations caused by a bone condition she has endured since childhood.

Filled with excitement on the first day of school, she set out on her journey to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Pulau Beluru, the first Comprehensive Special Education Model School 11 (K11) in the state, undeterred by the challenges she faces.

Siti Nur Najwa’s mother, Siti Rashidah Mamat, 49, said her second child was not alone in facing life’s challenges, as the family had also cared for a disabled son, the late Muhammad Idham, who passed away in 2021.

“Siti Nur Najwa began experiencing bone problems at the age of two when her weight failed to increase, causing the bones in her arms, back, legs and calves to bend. She was initially unable to walk and moved around by gently shifting her body from side to side, before eventually learning to walk in 2014.

“She holds a Person with Disabilities (PwD) card and continues to undergo follow-up treatment at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) to monitor her calcium intake,” she said when met at SMK Pulau Beluru, here, today.

Siti Rashidah said her daughter, who weighs only 15 kilogrammes and stands just 90 centimetres tall, is currently enrolled in the Special Education Integration Programme (PPKI) at the secondary level, where she is learning basic skills such as writing, cooking and speech training, although her pronunciation remains limited.

The daily journey to school requires Siti Nur Najwa to travel by boat, at a round-trip cost of RM3. However, when all three of her children attend school, the cost rises to RM9 a day, making her daughter’s attendance dependent on her health condition.

She added that her daughter is actually good at writing but faces difficulty pronouncing words, and is easily moved to tears due to shyness and embarrassment when many people are watching.

With her husband, Zulkifli Mustafa, 47, earning an uncertain income as a fisherman, the family did not buy new school uniforms for Siti Nur Najwa as the existing ones were still in good condition, while new clothes were purchased only for her two younger siblings. The PwD allowance she receives amounts to RM1,800 a year.

She added that the school has been a great support, including assisting Siti Nur Najwa to the toilet and ensuring her welfare, while at home, the family prepares food and drinks for her, as she has difficulty reaching for them on her own.

-- BERNAMA