Overcoming Odds: Zainab's Remarkable Journey from Struggle to Academic Pursuit

Shafaq News/ In a society where academic accomplishments often set the course for the future, Iraq's Baccalaureate exams stand as a testament to the tenacity of its students. Among them, Zainab, a 28-year-old woman from the Nasr district of Dhi Qar province, embodies resilience in the face of adversity.

Born in 1994, Zainab's early life was marked by hardship. Dropping out in her fourth year of primary school, she later faced marriage, motherhood, and an incapacitated husband due to a severe work accident. Yet, she didn't let these setbacks define her. Determinedly, after moving to the city, she decided to re-embark on her educational journey through external exams.

In 2017, Zainab successfully cleared her sixth-grade exams. Two years later, she overcame the challenges of the third intermediate exams, achieving remarkable grades.

But as she prepared to tackle the Baccalaureate exams in 2021, fate dealt another blow. The loss of her father could have derailed her ambitions, but it only bolstered Zainab's determination. This year, she not only sat for, but excelled in the external Baccalaureate in Biology.

Despite many financial difficulties, with a meager monthly income of 150,000 Iraqi dinars and declining external aid, Zainab's unyielding spirit caught the attention of the nation. According to her uncle, Khaled Nasr, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Naim Al-Abboudi, has scheduled a meeting with Zainab. "The intention? To consider her unique circumstances and potentially waive the standard university admission criteria," he said.