110-year-old Saudi woman returns to school

MECCA: A woman in Saudi Arabia returned to school at the age of 110, after joining the country’s illiteracy eradication programme, proving that age is just a number.

According to Arab News, Nawda Al-Qahtani returned to her studies under the Al-Rahwa Centre in the Umwah governorate in the Kingdom’s southwest.

She and over 50 others are among those benefiting from the centre’s efforts to transform the lives of citizens who never received formal education.

The students of all ages are being taught the basics of the alphabet and some verses of the Quran. Al-Qahtani said she enjoys the lessons and makes sure to complete her homework by the end of each day.

The Ministry of Education’s branch in Bisha shared a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) about Al-Qahtani in which the centenarian expresses her gratitude toward the Kingdom’s leaders.

الوالدة نوضاء القحطاني من هجرة الرهوة بالأمواه ؛ لم يمنعها عمرها 110 سنة من الالتحاق بالحملة الصيفية للتوعية ومحو الأمية بالأمواه بـ #تعليم_بيشة .
جهود متفانية كان نتاجها مثمرًا ؛ حيث عبَّرت عن ذلك بمشاعر الرضا والامتنان لدولتنا المعطاءة ، ولقادتها حفظهم الله . pic.twitter.com/AJb2XhOoWj

— إدارة تعليم بيشة (@MOE_BIA) August 1, 2023

She said that returning to her studies was a difficult decision to make, but she was supported by her four children, the oldest of whom is 80.

Al-Qahtani said she felt regret over the years she lost, and that improving her education would have “changed a lot in my life and the lives of others.” She said it was common for girls from the region’s rural areas and villages to not receive schooling, mainly because of geographical isolation.

One of her sons, 60-year-old Mohammed, said that he drops her off to school every day. He said he wished he could “go back in time to provide her with the best educational services.”

He said that the governorate has only one high school in the area which limits access, and hopes to see them establish more schools for public education.