MAKKAH: Over 800 elderly men and women, including a 105-year-old woman, participated in the literacy campaign held this summer by the Saudi Ministry of Education, represented by the General Administration of Education, in Jazan.
About 233 male and 599 female students were enrolled in 28 education centers across the region in Samtah, Ahad al-Masarihah, Al-Harth and Al-Aridhah.
Several educational, cultural, social and health activities and events were held in collaboration with government agencies and the non-profit sector.
These activities aim to develop beneficiaries' life skills and ensure they achieve their educational and cultural goals to guarantee their fair and comprehensive high-quality education.
One such student was 105-year-old Shaqraa Tohari, who enrolled at Al-Dabra Education Center in Ahad Al-Masarihah, reflecting her strong desire to learn to read and write.
She said she felt excited to stand next to the board to write the alphabet, or sit in her seat to write and read numbers, or read Surah Al-Fatiha or short surahs from the Holy Qur'an, while enjoying her support . teacher.
“I am passionate about learning to read and write, even though I am over 100 years old. It is a dream that I have been waiting to realize for many years and decades,” she said.
“Despite all the challenges and the fact that I have grown older, this dream has come true. It is a golden opportunity that I could never have missed,” Tohari said.
The centurion revealed that she spent her life raising her five sons and four daughters. She educated them and devoted her life to them.
But in the depths of her soul, she always wanted to be able to teach them and help them do their homework.
“The kingdom's interest in providing education for all and eradicating illiteracy helped me achieve my dream. It motivated me and the women from my village to move forward in terms of learning and catch up with what we have missed.
“Education and learning is everyone's dream, which aims to eradicate ignorance and illiteracy.
“(We) have enriched their knowledge with simple science facts from their teachers at the senior education center,” she added.
Tohari's son, Ibrahim, said his mother was extremely happy to enroll in the adult education program, as it represents the dream she has been waiting to achieve for many decades, as she believes in her right to learn, write and read, just like others women.
Ibrahim's 35-year-old sister, Nourah, drives her mother to the education center every afternoon and her other children help her with school work.
After completing his first year, Ibrahim said, the women in the village were extremely proud of his mother.
Ibrahim said what distinguishes his mother is her eagerness and determination to complete her studies and learn new subjects.
