From working as a school caretaker to pursuing higher education and becoming a teacher, and from making nine attempts to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination (Tawjihi) to earning a PhD in literary and critical studies, Dr Bashir Salim Mohammad Al-Shaqran, a native of Ramtha, tells an extraordinary story of perseverance, determination and faith in the power of education to transform lives, regardless of difficult beginnings and major challenges.
اضافة اعلان
Al-Shaqran’s educational journey was far from easy. He faced numerous challenges and hardships but refused to give up, remaining committed to his dream of continuing his studies and achieving his ambitions until he earned his doctorate after years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice.
Al-Shaqran says his experience with the Tawjihi examination was one of the most difficult periods of his life. He sat the exam nine times before passing, stressing that repeated attempts did not lead him to abandon his dream but instead strengthened his determination to achieve his goal.
After that stage, Al-Shaqran continued working, first as a school caretaker and later as a guard, while his dream of pursuing education remained alive. He did not view his job as the limit of his ambitions. Instead, he continued to believe in his ability to study, develop himself and build a better future, convinced that a person’s circumstances should not determine the limits of their dreams or prevent them from striving for a better life.
Turning points in his life
Al-Shaqran says enrolling at university in 2010 marked a major turning point in his life. He decided to begin a new chapter despite his family and financial responsibilities, continuing his journey towards achieving his academic ambitions.
Taking this step was not easy. He had to balance his studies with work, daily life and family responsibilities, but he chose to persevere, keeping his goal firmly in sight.
He says university life was challenging, as he was married and had children, making it essential to balance his studies with his family’s needs. He explains that he endured considerable hardship to cover educational expenses and household costs, sometimes walking long distances to save money on transportation.
Al-Shaqran remembers those years as a defining period in his life. He explains that the path to education was not easy but filled with challenges that required prolonged patience and resilience, particularly given his family responsibilities and living conditions.
Balancing work and study
Al-Shaqran adds that balancing work, education and caring for his family was no easy task. However, he felt that every step he took towards furthering his education brought him closer to his dream, and that the sacrifices he made could help build a better future for himself and his children.
He explains that he did not treat difficulties as a reason to retreat. Instead, he tried to turn them into additional motivation to keep going, believing that people should not be judged by the circumstances in which they begin their journeys, but by their ability to rise and persevere despite setbacks.
He stresses that his experience taught him that success does not come all at once. Rather, it is built through repeated attempts, sacrifices that others may never see, and determination that grows stronger as the journey becomes more difficult.
Al-Shaqran says his parents played a major role in his academic journey. He particularly remembers the support of his late father, who would wake up for dawn prayers and then drive him to university on exam days.
Family support: a cornerstone of achieving his dream
His mother also played a significant role in his success through her unwavering support, constant encouragement and belief in his ability to continue his education. She encouraged him to enrol in a doctoral programme in 2021 and saved the money needed for it, demonstrating her faith in his ambitions and her desire to see him fulfil a dream he had pursued for many years.
Al-Shaqran says his parents’ support was not merely temporary assistance but a fundamental pillar of his academic journey. Their belief in his ability to succeed gave him additional strength to face difficult circumstances and continue his studies.
He adds that, during moments of exhaustion and discouragement, people may need a word of encouragement or a sincere gesture to restore their confidence. He found that support in his family, which remained his source of strength and motivation.
Al-Shaqran earned his master’s degree in 2017 and continued his postgraduate studies until he fulfilled his dream of obtaining a doctorate, capping years of effort and perseverance.
On January 23, 2024, he defended his dissertation at the World Islamic Sciences and Education University under the title “Vision and Formation in the Poetry of Musa Hawamdeh.” Supervised by Dr Omar Ahmad Al-Rubaihat, he earned a PhD in literary and critical studies.
He held on to his dream and never stopped at the first obstacle
Al-Shaqran says earning his doctorate was not simply an academic achievement or another qualification to add to his record. It was the culmination of years of waiting, hard work and patience, and a message affirming that dreams people sincerely hold on to can become reality, no matter how long they take to achieve.
He adds that reflecting on his difficult beginnings from repeated attempts to pass the Tawjihi to working at a school and coping with life’s burdens—makes him more appreciative of what he has accomplished and more convinced that setbacks do not mean final failure, just as delayed success does not mean success is impossible.
He says his experience has deepened his appreciation of educational opportunities and strengthened his belief in the potential of people whose circumstances may prevent them from demonstrating their true abilities. He calls for encouraging everyone who wishes to continue their education and cautions against judging anyone by their profession or educational level at a particular stage of life.
Al-Shaqran notes that his journey taught him not to allow discouragement or other people’s opinions to determine his future. Instead, he learned to focus on his goal and continue working towards it. He stresses that people can overcome many difficulties if they have determination and patience, hold on to their dreams and refuse to stop at the first obstacle.
He offers a message to students and young people facing academic difficulties, urging them not to give up, regardless of how many attempts it takes or how long success is delayed. Setbacks, he says, do not mark the end of the road; they can provide an opportunity to reassess the experience, regain strength and continue striving.
He emphasises that students should not allow one or more failures to undermine their self-confidence. Everyone has individual circumstances and abilities that can be developed through perseverance and hard work. What seems difficult at one stage of life may become possible over time as experience grows and determination to keep trying endures.
Al-Shaqran believes his message to anyone considering continuing their education is not to let fear of failure or other people’s perceptions stand in the way of their ambitions. He urges them to give themselves another chance whenever they encounter a setback, noting that there is no single path to success and that an achievement becomes even more meaningful when it follows years of patience and challenge.
Al-Shaqran earned a bachelor’s degree in Arabic language from Irbid National University with an excellent grade before continuing his academic journey and obtaining a master’s degree in Arabic language from Jerash University. He currently works as an Arabic-language teacher at a school in Ramtha District.
Source: Al-Ghad.
