Suzzane reads out her SPM results while (from right) state Education director Rakayah Madon, Welfare and Community Wellbeing Assistant Minister Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Public Utilities (Water Supply) Assistant Minister Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn look on.
KUCHING: Suzzane Jelien has proven that disability or impairment is not a hindrance to success in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
She may not have any As to show, but her achievement in the 2016 SPM examination is good enough to make anyone, even the state Education Department, proud.
Suzzane is the state’s only high achiever in the disability category of the SPM.
The visually-impaired student from SMK Batu Lintang, Kuching scored B+ in two subjects, C+ in one subject, D in two subjects and E in one subject.
Interviewed after the announcement of the results at the auditorium of the state Education Department here yesterday, Suzanne admitted that as a visually-impaired person, it was not easy to get through the SPM exam, let alone get such results.
Unlike normal people, her communication with others was very much limited but she thanked her parents, teachers and friends for their support.
“Sometimes some of my friends and I study as a group, but most of the time I revised alone. Because of my condition, I have to pay full attention to the teachers’ teaching and explanation to understand the subject.
“To be honest, I had not expected to do well because of my condition,” she said.
Suzzane wants to pursue studies at a public university such as Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) although she expects some people to doubt her ability.
“It can’t be denied that there will be people who look down on us. But even if I cannot get a place in any institution of higher learning, I will try self-study,” she said.
The eldest among three siblings, this Sibu-born lass aims to become a counsellor.