Four siblings offered places in SMK, SK Padang Kala

Zahari Daud (left) passing documents to Aishah on which schools the four siblings were offered.

KOTA BARU: The four children of a Malaysian couple detained by Swedish authorities have been offered places at Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Kala and Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Padang Kala which are near their aunt's house in Kampung Tok Wali, Peringat, here.

Kelantan Education Department Deputy Director Zahari Daud said the department had made some allowances for the children to continue their education under the Democratisation of the National Education policy.

"We will make allowances for the children to resume their studies at any time and they will enjoy the same privileges as other students.

"Among others, they will receive Early Schooling Aid of RM100 and textbook aid," he said when met by reporters after handing over the School Placement Letter at the home of the aunt, Shaleena Norshal, 43, on Monday.

Zahari said the education department had also instructed the school heads and counsellors to pay attention to these children to help them adjust to their new environment.

Zahari said the school authorities would also help the children who were having language problems because they were not conversant in Bahasa Melayu.

"The aunt (Shaleena) will also help as she is an English language teacher at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tok Bachok in Bachok," he said.

Meanwhile, the couple's eldest child, Aishah Azizul Raheem, 14, thanked the Kelantan Education Department who helped her and her siblings to continue their studies.

Aishah promised to study hard and to try to adjust to the new school.

However, she has yet to buy new school clothes and bags since she had just arrived in Malaysia.

Aishah and her siblings - Ammar, 12, Adam, 11, and Arif, 7, arrived at 7.04am last Saturday at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport before being taken to her mother's hometown in Kota Baharu.

They are now under the care of their aunt, Shaleena.

Azizul Raheem Awalludin, a Tourism Malaysia officer in Sweden and his wife, Shalwati Norshal, a teacher who is on unpaid leave, were detained on Dec 18 by Swedish authorities, for allegedly hitting the hand of their son for not praying.

Meanwhile, Aishah told Bernama in an earlier interview that playing video games was one of the ways for her and her siblings to cope with the stress while in the care of a foster family appointed by Swedish authorities before their return to Malaysia.

While waiting for their parents' case to be resolved, the teenager promised to take good care of her siblings.

"I love you mum and dad. I'll try to be a good sister to my adik-adik. I hope you'll be released and come back to Malaysia soon," she said in a sad tone. - Bernama