Ms Denise Phua, co-founder of Pathlight school and also Member-of-Parliament (MP) for Jalan Besar GRC, had good reason to be happy after the release of the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) results yesterday.

Her son, Jun-Yi, also a student at Pathlight, did well enough to enable him to move on to a normal secondary school

The road, however, has not been easy.

Ms Phua shared with Shin Min Daily News that, although diagnosed with autism since the age of three, Jun-Yi performed well enough academically to be enrolled in a normal school.

However, as his symptoms got progressively worse after Primary Four, his parents had no choice but to transfer him to a special school.

As former principal of the school, Ms Phua said she also had tried her best to be impartial.

"Ever since Jun-Yi began classes at Pathlight, my husband has been the one in-charge of his schoolwork and everything concerning his academic performance. This is so that the teachers at Pathlight will not feel unnecessarily pressured," she told the Chinese daily.

She added: "During the first year at Pathlight, my son fell and had a gash on his head, which required several stitches. Then, my first thought was 'thank goodness it is my son and not someone else's kid', so I wouldn't have to worry about facing his or her parents."

It is not easy being a mother, however.

Ms Phua admitted that with the many hats and duties she had to juggle in the process of serving the community, she sometimes felt guilty about having too little time to spend with her son.

However, she hopes that like her, her son will grow up to be someone who puts the needs of others before himself.

Ms Phua is grateful to all the teachers who have helped nurture Jun-Yi to achieve his potential.

She said: "I would like to thank all the teachers, who have taught Jun-Yi, at Pathlight. For without them, my son would not have managed to do well in the PSLE."

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