MACA: More than 800 elderly men and women, including a 105-year-old woman, took part in a literacy campaign organized this summer by the Saudi Ministry of Education on behalf of the General Directorate of Education in Jazan.
About 233 students and 599 students are enrolled in 28 educational centers across the region in the governorates of Samta, Ahad al-Masariha, Al-Hart and Al-Arida.
Several educational, cultural, social and health activities and events were held in partnership with government agencies and the non-profit sector.
This activity is aimed at developing the life skills of the beneficiaries and ensuring that they achieve their educational and cultural goals in order to guarantee their equitable and comprehensive quality education.
One such student was 105-year-old Shakra Tohari, who enrolled at Al-Dabra Education Center in Ahad Al-Masariha, reflecting her strong desire to learn to read and write.
She said she felt exhilarated standing at the blackboard to write the alphabet, or sitting in her seat to write and read numbers, or recite Surah Al-Fatiha or short suras from the Holy Quran, all the while enjoying her support from the teachers. .
“I really wanted to learn to read and write, even though I'm over 100 years old. This is a dream that I have been waiting for many years and decades to come true,” she said.
“Despite all the difficulties and the fact that I am getting old, this dream has become a reality. This is a great opportunity that I could never pass up,” said Tohari.
The centurion said that he raised his five sons and four daughters all his life. She raised them and devoted her life to them.
However, deep down she always wanted to be able to teach them, to help them do their lessons.
“The Kingdom's interest in providing education for all and eradicating illiteracy helped me realize my dream. This motivated me and the women of my village to move forward in terms of learning and catch up on what we had missed.
“Education and training is the dream of every person, which is aimed at eradicating ignorance and illiteracy.
“(We're) enriching their knowledge with simple science facts provided by their teacher at the senior education center,” she added.
Tohara's son, Ibrahim, said his mother was very happy to enroll in the adult education program as it fulfilled a dream she had waited decades to achieve, believing in her right to learn, write and read like other women.
Ibrahim's 35-year-old sister, Noura, takes their mother to the education center every afternoon, while her other children help her at school.
After successfully completing his first year, Ibrahim said, the women of the village were very proud of his mother.
Ibrahim stated that what sets his mother apart is her insight and determination to complete her education and learn new subjects.
