The question posed to Siti Ainulmursyida Shamsudin by her former student, Nabil Iman, struck a deep chord in her.
“When we achieve a 100% SPM pass rate, we tend to celebrate and assume all our students will eventually succeed. But we forget that some still get left behind – like Nabil,” Ainul, 41, told FMT Lifestyle, adding that he had a slow learning disability and mild autism.
As a teacher, Ainul has multiple awards in her name – but Nabil’s question made her realise she had a lot more work to do.
When the school needed a special education teacher, she took on the job, despite having no formal training in the area.
Ten years on, and after having touched many young lives, Ainul received the Malaysia Teacher Prize earlier this month.
An initiative by non-profit organisation Pemimpin, Ainul was selected from 2,300 applications to receive a RM50,000 cash prize and a scholarship to pursue a postgraduate programme at INTI International University & Colleges, worth around RM70,000.
Listening to Ainul speak about her special needs students at SMK Orkid Desa here, it’s easy to understand why she stood out.
At the heart of her work is a simple mission: to ensure none of her students are left behind, especially in a world where technology is rapidly advancing. This inspired her to set up a digital resource centre at her school, complete with computers and laptops.
And she didn’t stop there.
She also created her own educational games, including “Speakamon” and “Time Travelling Verbs Adventure”. Featuring characters inspired by Pokémon and “One Piece” anime, these games helped make English lessons more interactive.
For her students, these games were more than just a fun way to learn – it was a sign that their teacher acknowledged them for who they were, believed in them and went the extra mile to meet their needs.
Some of her students are slow learners while others have autism, ADHD, down syndrome and cerebral palsy – but in Ainul’s classroom, they all find hope.
And the results speak for themselves. Students once perceived as non-verbal began to find their voices. Others who were too shy to stand in front of the class gradually gained confidence to do just that.
Two of them, she revealed with pride, have delivered short presentations before Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and deputy education minister Wong Kah Woh.
Her students have also made their mark on the global stage. They won gold medals in the “Global IT Challenge for Youth with Disabilities”, another instance of how the right support can change the trajectory of a child’s life.
Ainul’s drive to open more doors for students with special needs extended beyond the classroom – it led her to develop “Peka OKU”, short for “Peluang Kerjaya dan Akademik OKU”.
Through this digital platform, which features an AI chatbot and Facebook group, over 300 students nationwide have benefited from learning about scholarships, training and career opportunities.
Her inventions – “Speakamon” and “Peka OKU” – have bagged awards, yet Ainul said the greatest reward is far simpler: seeing a student make progress.
“To me, the challenges my students face are opportunities to create something that helps them overcome those gaps. That’s what keeps me motivated to innovate. All these innovations were inspired by my students.”
Ainul’s dedication is shaped by her upbringing – both her parents were educators who inspired her to follow in their footsteps.
“When I first became a teacher, my father told me: ‘Teach from your heart, not just with your voice and through your pen’.” That piece of advice stayed with her throughout her career.
“At our school, we always say: ‘tap into abilities, not disabilities’. We constantly remind our students: ‘Others may see your limitations, but they don’t truly know you or understand what you’re capable of’,” she said.
“I hope society will realise that special needs students have potential – all they want is a chance.”