Determination Knows No Age: 50-Year-Old Mother in Kotido Excels in UACE

KOTIDO — A 50-year-old mother of six in Kotido District has become the talk of the Karamoja sub-region after defying age stereotypes to pass her Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations. Having dropped out of school in the late 1980s due to civil instability and early marriage, her return to the classroom has inspired an entire community.

Her journey was far from easy. For two years, she balanced her responsibilities as a mother, a farmer, and a student, often studying by lamplight after her children had gone to sleep. Sitting in a classroom alongside teenagers who were young enough to be her children required immense humility and focus.

“I wanted to show my daughters that education has no expiry date,” she said, beaming with her result slip in hand. “In Karamoja, many girls are forced out of school early. I wanted to prove that if a grandmother can sit in a classroom and pass history and economics, so can a young girl.“

Her next dream is to join a National Teacher Training College. The Karamoja sub-region suffers from a chronic shortage of indigenous teachers who understand the local language and cultural nuances. By becoming a certified teacher, she hopes to dedicate the rest of her life to educating the next generation of Karimojong children, proving that a classroom is a place for anyone with a hunger for knowledge.