Never too old to study: Ibrahim (70) sits for Sudan school exam

70-year old Ibrahim Yagoub Fudeili sat for basic stage school examinations in West Kordofan with the hope to enter higher secondary school and eventually, university. “I want to encourage children to pursue their education.”

Ibrahim joined dozens of pupils, focused on passing the Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) exam, in the Ali Ibn Abi Taleb basic school in Babanusa locality on Sunday. Over the phone he tells of his dream to enter university and encourage young people to pursue their education at the same time. “Do it for Sudan's progress in science,” he said in an interview with Radio Dabanga.

“Earlier, I stopped continuing to study because of financial difficulties. But I returned today.” Ibrahim said that he consistenly studied every day after his work shift at a civil court. “I have a family to support – twelve people, to be exact.”

'Use any time you have on your hands to study.'

He explained that he studied the curriculum through a compensatory approach especially for elderly. He has more than 30 students in his class, whose ages range between 25 to 30 years old. “But I'm the eldest.”

Ibrahim appealed to all people in Sudan to take advantage of any free time they have on their hands, to study.

Strike

Teachers in West Kordofan's Babanusa went on strike last month in protest against the delayed payment of their dues, which threatened the conducting of school examinations.

March is the examination period of the basic school children to secondary school children. Starting April, exams take place in the higher secondary school until university.