KOTA KINABALU – A psychologist confirmed to the court a student’s emotional distress and trauma at falling behind in her studies because of an English teacher accused of being consistently absent from class.
Noor Aishah Rosli told the high court here yesterday that the plaintiff Siti Nafirah Siman, 23, had undergone two tests to assess her cognitive and mental wellness.
“From my tests, on IQ, the plaintiff scored 87 while the average is 90, this shows that the plaintiff was good.
“On emotional stress, the plaintiff experienced emotional distress and slight trauma due to being behind in her studies,” Noor Aishah said while testifying before high court judge Datuk Ismail Brahim.
Noor Aishah also told Siti Nafirah’s counsel, Shireen Sikayun, that the trauma and stress can stay with a person for a long time even after the incident.
Siti Nafirah is suing her then English teacher, Mohd Jainal Jamran, for allegedly being absent for seven months in 2015 and for four months between March and November 2017. She was a student at SMK Taun Gusi in Kota Belud, preparing for the SPM examination and his absenteeism had allegedly caused her distress.
Other defendants are Suid Hanapi (in his capacity as then principal of SMK Taun Gusi), the Kota Belud district education officer, the Sabah education director, the Education Ministry’s director-general, the education minister and the Malaysian government.
Noor Aishah also told the court yesterday that an English teaching assistant, Ibrahim Jaidol, who taught at SMK Taun Gusi between 2013 and 2015, had sought her expertise so as to help Siti Nafirah.
She said Ibrahim was the one who paid for her to conduct the psychological tests on Siti Nafirah, which she (Noor Aishah) did in 2019 and 2020.
The psychologist added that she learnt about Jainal’s alleged absenteeism from Ibrahim and Siti Nafirah.
Noor Aishah was questioned by federal counsel Mohd Fazriel Fardiansyah Abdul Kadir, who asked if it was Ibrahim who made the claim of absenteeism, to which Siti Nafirah’s counsel objected.
When asked if English was the only subject crucial to Siti Nafirah’s future, Noor Aishah responded that compared to other subjects, English is important as an entry qualification to higher learning institutions.
Siti Nafirah also took the witness stand yesterday, and was asked during cross-examination if Ibrahim was funding her legal actions.
She responded that Ibrahim was only a “middleman”.
She also said she had never asked the defendant, Jainal, the reason for his alleged absenteeism.
Siti Nafirah filed her suit on October 30, 2018.
When trial began in September last year, the court was told of how students had raised Jainal’s alleged absenteeism with other teachers but were supposedly ignored.
During a hearing two days ago, Siti Nafirah told the court how her chances of getting a good job had been affected by Jainal’s alleged absenteeism.
The trial will resume in August. – The Vibes, May 17, 2023
