By R. S.N. Murali
Seremban, The Star. She walks 15km to school from her squatter house, sometimes without having had any food.
But 12-year-old R. Priya Ranjini overcame these hurdles to score seven As in her UPSR examination recently.
Priya's achievement is all the more commendable as she had to miss almost two months of school - in August and September - to look after her four other siblings when her mother came down with typhoid and was admitted to the Seremban Hospital

"It was difficult to miss school as I was eager to do well in the UPSR exam," said Priya, when met at her squatter home at Kampung Pasir in Rasah here where she lives with her parents and three younger brothers and a sister.
The Sekolah Wawasan Seremban 2 student said she sometimes had to study under the lamp-post outside her house as it was too crammed inside.
"I will not let being poor affect my studies. I want to do well in my studies so that I will be able to help my family live a better life.
"I want to be a doctor one day and will strive to achieve my dream even if I have to face many obstacles.
"I also hope the example I set will spur my brothers and sister to also want to do well in their studies and succeed in life," she added.
Priya's 36-year-old father R. Muthusamy works for an undertaker and is only paid if there is a funeral, while her mother N. Sumathi, 33, is a cleaner and earns about RM250 a month.
Because of this, it is not uncommon for Priya to go to school without food or pocket money.
Sumathi said she was proud of her daughter's UPSR results.
"Priya burned the midnight oil, staying up late every day to catch up on the lessons she had missed. I am indeed proud of her," she added.