For most people in their seventies, it is perhaps time to reflect on what was and what could have been and to kick back and relax as they enter the twilight of their life. But for one man in Malakand, looking back at his life, not going back to school and getting a degree would have been a far bigger regret than facing up to the quizzical looks of his peers and jeers from the rest.
“I have no reservations about going back to being a student at an advanced age, knowing that I am way older than my classmates and probably even older than [some of[ my teachers,” says 76-year-old school teacher who has decided to resume his education after a gap of 58 years - more than a lifetime for many.
Syed Muhammad Khan, who hails from the Dargai tehsil of Malakand district, has been involved in the field of education for most of his life.
Who resumed his education journey after decades has enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts (BA) at the Malakand University.
Having completed his matriculation from the Dargai High School in 1962, Muhammad tells The Express Tribune that he was appointed as an Islamic studies teacher at a local government school in 1963.
At the time, Muhammad recalled, there was no college or university in the then-principalities of Malakand and Swat valley.
To study further meant incurring a major expense of travelling to large cities such as Peshawar.
People would usually stop further education after matric because they could not afford to go to big cities, the septuagenarian said.
“I was the only bread earner of my family and had no resources to go to other cities for education,” he said, laying bare the economic pressures and difficult access to higher education which kept him locked out of his dream of getting a doctorate after completing his basic 16-years of education.
Soon, as was the case with most youngsters in the yet-to-be-fully-integrated region, Muhammad got married. This added to the financial pressures on him. Quite simply, the education of his four daughters came before his desire to complete his own higher education.
“I wanted to resume my education but could not do so because of financial constraints and lack of time. It was something I always wanted to do for myself, a personal goal,” he said.
Despite his meagre government teacher salary, Muhammad said he ensured that even if he could not, he would get his daughters as close as possible to achieving the dream of obtaining a doctorate. They settled for post-graduation due to their tight fiscal situation.
Having retired in 2004 and seeing his children complete their education, Muhammad found that he had both tome and some spare money and that it was now possible to achieve his life-long dream.
“I passed my intermediate examinations this year and wanted to take admissions in the Bachelors of Arts (BA) programme,” the former school teacher said.
Unsure whether any university would accept what would arguably be their oldest student, Muhammad said he tried his luck at the Malakand University - another change in the region from when he was first a student.
MU Vice-Chancellor Dr Gul Zaman was partial to Muhammad’s case and granted his request, and more.
Talking to The Express Tribune Dr Zaman said that the university encourages people who make efforts to achieve an education.
“I will bear the expenses of Muhammad’s education, including his tuition fee and accommodation,” he said, adding that the septuagenarian is helping set an important precedent that age is no constraint to obtain an education.
Meanwhile, the 76-year-old student has urged youngsters to always strive to be lifelong learners.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 22nd, 2020.
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