Jahanara’s battle of silence
Who would have thought that a girl with childhood physical disabilities, born in an impoverished family, could pursue education in this country?
That notion has been proven wrong by Jahanara Akter, from Pashchim Para village in Ghatail upazila. All of her family members, except her mother, have the same speech and hearing impairment. But that could not hold her back from her pursuit of education.
When many other children with similar impediments would stop before crossing the primary education level, this twenty year-old resilient girl has passed the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations this year with flying colours -- GPA 5 that is.
Born to Bina Begum and Jahangir Alam -- a day labourer who cannot hear or speak -- in the year 2000, Jahanara also had speech and hearing impairment since birth. Her two younger siblings, a brother and a sister, were also born with similar impairment.
Bina Begum said in between her work at different houses as domestic help, she started giving alphabet lessons to Jahanara at an early age.
Seeing her smartness and eagerness to learn, Bina left no stone unturned to admit the young Jahanara to an educational institution. Finally she came to learn about a school for children with disabilities in the upazila town.
Although far from home, Bina devoted all her energy and efforts to bring Jahanara to the school every day as she always believed that her daughter has all the potential to be successful in completing her education.
Despite extreme financial difficulties, believing in Jahanara's strength has been the force that has been driving the entire family to stand by Jahanara's endeavours with all their heart and soul, Bina said.
Soon enough, the mother's hard work and support from all family members started to pay off. Jahanara kept passing one grade after another in the school with good results every year and after passing fifth grade, she got admitted to SE Pilot Girls' High School in Ghatail town. From there she secured GPA 3.50 in Junior School Certificate examinations held in 2018.
Jahanara had studied hard since then with an aim to get a GPA 5.0 in the SSC exams this year, Bina said. "She reached this stage after going through immense hardship and her success makes me really happy."
Now that the high school phase of Jahanara is over, a new challenge of getting her daughter admitted to a good college has been occupying the thoughts of her mother.
Since there is no reputable college in their home village, Jahanara might need to move to a different place for her college education. But her mother is now worried about how she would send someone along as her daughter needs constant assistance, especially during her studies.
Being a physician has always been Jahanara's dream. But considering her physical limitations in attending extensive hands-on and practical course works during medical studies, Jahanara has lately been leaning towards becoming a civil servant after completing her studies, said her mother.
Bina, however, said she would carry on regardless with her efforts to fulfil the ultimate dream of her daughter.
Bulbuli Begum, head teacher of Jahanara's school, said all the teachers extended all out support to Jahanara while she was at the school.
She also said she has great respect and regard for all special students, especially for Jahanara, who she believes will succeed in reaching her goal with assistance from the government as well as from the well-off section of the society.
Contacted, Ghatail Upazila Secondary Education Officer AKM Shamsul Haque said they would help Jahanara in getting admitted to a good college and they would "also try to arrange a full free scholarship as well as other support for Jahanara so she can see her dream come true."
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