The term, 'Never Say Never' first appeared in Charles Dicken's novel 'The Pickwick Papers' and it's simply means do not say that something is impossible, that it will never happen, or that you will never do it because anything is possible.
Sometimes the joy of learning itself motivates an adult to enroll in school, but even in your 50s or 60s, there can be a significant economic upside to earning, or completing, that college degree.
The decision to go back to school as an adult with a host of competing priorities and responsibilities isn’t an easy one, however, and some people may question the value of getting an education later in life.
The inspiring story of a 50-year-old Nigerian woman, Shade Ajayi who for the first time in her life decided to go to school to learn how to read and write alongside students nearly 40 years younger.
The amazing part of this story is, when she rejects the criticism and decided to be in the same uniform with other students, wears the same uniform, or school clothing, as hundreds of girls at the school: a pink dress and head covering saying, she is not ashamed to wear a uniform.
Her reason for her landmark decision Is she believes her inability to read or write is holding her back.
It may interest you that Sade Ajayi has a small business she runs, She runs her own business making and selling purses and bags.
Ajayi said, as a child, she worked in her aunt’s shop instead of attending school, even though she signed up to attend school last year, but the school closed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Schools reopened in January and Ajayi finally got her chance and she plans to continue her education for four more years, saying it will help her business.
Ajayi does not seem to care what others may say about her. “It’s my duty not to pay attention to what they’re saying.”
Ajayi listening to her teacher
Testimonies from her teachers even created more attention to this 50-year-old woman who did not appear worried about the age difference with other students but sits in a class with students aged 11 to 13 and raises her hand to answer questions.
Ajayi, raises hand to answer question
Ajayi's Class teacher said, "She has been coping well with other students: playing together, talking together and discussing things together,"
The daughter, Shola Adeboye, was said to be embarrassed that her mother attended school alongside children. But later, she supported her mother’s efforts.
Some of the main reasons older adults choose to go back to School:
Fulfilling a Long-Held Goal
Whether for personal fulfillment, to inspire a child or grandchild, or simply to be able to say “I did it,” returning to school is a way of fulfilling a long-held dream.
Searching for a Second-Chapter Career
Many adults find themes, live decades into their career paths, and realize they’d like to spend the last of their working years doing something completely different. Others retire and discover they want to find a job. Still others find themselves out of work because their duties have been outsourced or rendered obsolete by new technologies. For adults looking to pursue a second-chapter career in a new field, a degree is often the best way to develop the necessary skills.
Staying Competitive in the Workforce
In Nigeria, you rarely see a civil servant who is not studying something or something in school. In many fields, particularly those with a technology focus, it’s easy for skill sets to become outdated. Many companies choose to bring on newer, younger talent rather than invest in upskilling and retraining their current workforces — and in those circumstances, it’s older adults who are most often at a disadvantage. Going back to school (whether to finish a degree or complete a new one) is a great way to build on existing knowledge or develop expertise to stay competitive in the workforce.
Creating New Challenges and Learning New Things
Even for adults who are happy and secure in their current organizations, the desire to keep learning may remain strong. Going back to school is often a way to create new challenges for yourself, learn new things and provide an opportunity for personal development.
Adults who make the brave choice to go back to school to earn a degree later in life won’t be alone.
Ajayi's story is now being used by motivational speakers and parents across the country, to stressed the importance of early education for children in this new age.
