M'sia man, 37, with learning disabilities gets dream job as teacher after re-taking exams several times

A Malaysian man with a learning disability has officially become a school teacher at the age of 37, a milestone achieved after sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination 10 times and the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) twice.

The SPM and the STPM are equivalent to Singapore’s GCE O-levels and A-levels respectively.

The story was first shared by his sister, Ainun Nasihah, in a widely circulated post on X on Nov. 17, where she described her brother’s journey as one marked by “perseverance and grit”.

Bullied in school because of developmental issues

In her post, Ainun wrote that her brother, whom she nicknamed "Ed" and affectionately referred to as the family’s “own kind of Forrest Gump”, was born breech and experienced a delayed delivery.

She said this resulted in developmental issues, leading many to label him a “slow learner”.

He also struggled with stuttering and often appeared “lost in his own world”.

Despite their father being a teacher at the very school he attended, he was physically and mentally bullied by his classmates.

Re-took exam several times

According to Ainun, her brother took the SPM exam 10 times, with his tenth attempt being the one where he told their mother it “could be his last attempt”.

She recalled that he broke down in tears from the stress and disappointment on multiple occasions.

Undeterred, Ed went on to attempt STPM twice, eventually completing the qualification and moving on to obtain a university degree.

He later completed a Diploma in Education (DPLI), similar to Singapore’s Postgraduate Diploma in Education, which is a mandatory certificate required to become a teacher.

All this took place while he held various odd jobs to support himself and the family, including stints as a hospital security guard, school guard, worker at an old folks’ home, and even helping their father in the paddy fields.

New chapter in life as a teacher

During Ed's teaching interview, he was asked about his OKU (Orang Kurang Upaya, which translates to persons with disabilities) card, which he holds for learning disabilities.

After leaving the interview room, he reportedly walked straight to his mother and cried, “probably out of relief, or from feeling like he was near the end of his long fight”, Ainun wrote.

She emphasised that while the family supported him unconditionally, “you can’t help a person if the person doesn’t want to be helped”.

He has since been officially appointed as a teacher at a school, marking the beginning of a new chapter at age 37.

Netizens were supportive about the start of his new job, with many saying that he is an inspiration and wishing him the best in his new role.

Ainun ended her post by reiterating that his family will always support him no matter what: