91-Year-Old Thai Granny Achieves Lifelong Dream of Graduating College

August 10, 2017

“It’s never too late to study,” says the 91-year-old grandmother and mother of five who just recently got her college degree in Thailand.

Kimlan Jinakul, who originally came from Phayao province in the north of Thailand, has recently completed her bachelor’s degree in Human Ecology at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, according to Bangkok Post. The 91-year-old granny got her degree after more than 10 years of hard work.

As a kid, Kimlan was a smart pupil and she even went to one of the best schools in her province at the time, BBC reported. Unfortunately, she was not able to attend university as it was not an achievable option at the time. Kimlan got married after moving to Bangkok, which resulted in her abandoning her dream to go to a university.

“I have always, though, wanted my children to be able to study. So I encouraged and supported them when they wanted to to go to university,” the 91-year-old mother of five told Watchiranont Thongtep of BBC Thailand.

At 72, Kimlan had decided to enroll herself after one of her daughters – who was already working at a hospital – took a course at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University. Sadly, she had to take a few years off from her studies after the tragic death of the same daughter.

Then after reaching the age of 85, she decided it is time to take another shot. She continued her studies and took up Human Ecology, major in Human and Family Development.

“After recovering from the loss and sadness, I pushed myself to finish this programme,” she told the network. “I’m hoping my daughter’s soul would be pleased to see this.”

Talking about her ingredients for success, Kimlan explained that the two main keys for her success were determination and ambition.

“When I told myself to finish one chapter, I would try my best to do so. I underlined all the key points I needed to memorise. And that’s what helped me during my study reviews,” she recalled during her talk with the network. “I was glad when I passed and sad when I failed. So I re-took the exam until I passed.”

After her achievement, Kimlan will continue to look after her grandchildren. “I don’t think anybody would employ me if I were to look for a job,” she jokingly said.

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