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A TEACHER believed to be involved in the case of an 11-year-old girl who died after allegedly being instructed to take part in a school sports activity despite having a known heart condition has been transferred to another school pending the outcome of an investigation.
The Kedah Education Department (JPN) said the transfer was carried out shortly after its initial investigation as an early intervention measure, with the case subsequently referred to the Education Ministry’s (MOE) Integrity Unit for further action.
“The matter has been referred to the Integrity Unit of the Education Ministry (MOE) for further action. The public is urged not to speculate about the case and to give JPN and the MOE room to conduct a thorough investigation,” a Kedah JPN spokesman said today.
The case involves Nur Qaira Alisha Ahmad ‘Ilwan, 11, a Year Four pupil at a primary school in Kedah who had lived with a heart condition since she was three months old and had been exempted from participating in sports activities at school.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek has instructed the MOE Integrity Unit to take further action over the girl’s death in accordance with prevailing rules and laws.
She was also informed that Kedah JPN had investigated a complaint lodged by Nur Qaira’s family.
The girl’s father previously alleged in a social media post that his daughter had been instructed by a teacher to take part in a running activity during selection trials for the school’s sports teams, despite the school having received a medical letter confirming her heart condition.
An internal school source said the incident occurred during a selection trial for the 80-metre race ahead of the school’s sports event.
“The pupil had a history of heart disease since childhood. After taking part in the sports activity, she fell ill and began receiving treatment on April 17. She did not attend school for four months, and a complaint was lodged by her family on May 10,” the source said.
The family alleged that Nur Qaira’s health deteriorated after the activity, leaving her bedridden and requiring oxygen support before she died at 7.49pm last Wednesday.
Her mother, Norlela Shaari, said Nur Qaira was admitted to hospital on April 24 after suffering severe vomiting and swelling around her eyes.
According to her, the girl appeared extremely exhausted and complained of nausea after returning home from school following the running event.
Medical examinations later found that she was suffering from heart failure due to decompensation associated with dilated cardiomyopathy.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes weakened and enlarged, especially the main pumping chamber, the left ventricle.
Norlela said a paediatric cardiologist subsequently found fluid around her daughter’s heart, which caused swelling in her face and eyes.
She said Nur Qaira’s condition deteriorated to the point that she was no longer allowed to move around much and had to use a wheelchair, while doctors restricted her water intake to one litre a day to prevent the swelling from recurring.
Nur Qaira was later admitted to Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah in Kedah, where she eventually died.
The JPN and MOE investigations are ongoing, and no official finding has yet established whether the sports activity caused or directly contributed to the pupil’s death. - August 28, 2026
