Pageant participants, teachers pay visit to poor pupil who skipped school due to teasing

 

- Photo by Paul Mu.

PAPAR: A 9-year-old girl was emotionally traumatised when she was teased by people about the dilapidated house where she lived with her family.

It affected her so much that the Year 3 pupil from SK Sacred Heart Biau has skipped school for the past two months.

Her school teachers, however, did not give up on her.

Today, they joined forces with a group from the 2022 Miss Merdeka Pageant to pay a visit to the girl and her family to bring some gifts and cheer.

SK Sacred Heart Biau headmaster Sam Louyoh had tried repeatedly to persuade the pupil to return to school since she began missing classes in June this year.

He said the girl had been too embarrassed after being constantly teased at school for living in a dilapidated house at Kampung Biau here.

"The school is always open to welcoming her back because it is important for her to complete her education to have a brighter future," said Sam.

He has also talked with the girl's mother, and is looking into arranging for a bus service to send her daughter to and from school.

The school's Parent-Teacher Association vice-president Rujilin Rose David said they had also raised some funds and bought some goodies for the girl's family, who are living in abject poverty.

The donation drive was initiated by the participants of the Miss Merdeka 2022. They are carrying out charity projects to help the poor.

Pageant participant Luastipah Harajan met with the girl today to chat and spend time with her.

"I also came from a poor family in Pitas. If you continue schooling, you can go further and become a role model for others.

"If you don't go to school, you will not be able to achieve your dreams. You must fight your shyness and fear," she told the little one.

The pageant participants also cheered up the girl with a teddy bear.

Some of her schoolmates presented a bracelet to show their friendship. One of them admitted to noticing how withdrawn the girl had been.

"My friend (the girl) was always alone in school because she was too shy to make friends," she said.

Meanwhile, the girl's mother, a homemaker, appreciated the contributions by the school teachers.

She said she was thankful that the teachers always came to the house to give her some words of encouragement.

"I've tried everything. I want to thank the teachers for their patience and for never giving up on my daughter. They know my daughter is poor in reading."

The mother said her husband works as a garbage collector.

"My husband works irregular hours and sometimes he would finish work late. That's why it had been hard to pick up my daughter from school on time."

Things may be looking up, though.

When the New Straits Times covered the group's visit to the girl's house and met with her and her family, the girl said she felt happy with the concern shown by the teachers and her visitors.

She promised to return to school to study hard so that she can achieve her ambition to work in the banking sector. - NST