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by Abdiweli Garad
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Fatima Warsame, 16, a daughter of Deqa Abdullahi Khalif and Abdul Warsame from Islamia Girls Secondary Schools, Brent, London, breaks the stalemate and made a sense of balance with reference to the question of ‘why the pupils of Somali origins achieve below the general standard?’ An issue that most of the Somalis, especially, parents seek to have an answer for it. Eventually, teenager Fatima, Who achieved seven A* and four A from her GCSE’s outcome gives a clue about the desperate parents and many others.
Pupils’ School under achievements from people of Somali origins is widely spread concern, particularly, here in the UK. Likewise, it is presumptuous that almost all of the scattered Somali origins around the globe share this occurrence. Thus, the phenomenon is the commonly talked issue among the Somalia Diasporas, be it; parents, managing teams in the supplementary schools, community leaders, as well as restaurant chitchats (Fadhi ku dirir).
As we, the Somalis, all rationalise the reasons of under achievements and/or subsequent disappointments, we hypothesize following aspects as the main of many that cause the failures. Firstly, many argue that lack of parental support, above all, the absence of fatherhood as the mere reason of the dilemma. Secondly, many believe that the phenomenon is a common trauma branded as cultural shock that ethnic groups have to experience as soon as they had to dwell into a new country. Thirdly, many people see that the ambient and types of the schools that most of our pupils attend cause the hiccups. Fourthly, and least importantly, some argue that Somalis are punch of failures by nature, and so, they failed in their homeland and they will fail wherever they go.
On Thursday, 27th of August 2009, Fatima was awaiting to meet the biggest challenge in her lifetime. She was eagerly anticipating her GCSE results from the official channels, and she was speechless when she came to know that she acquires seven A*(English Literature, French Language, Religious Education, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics) and four A(s) including Arabic and English Languages in GCSE.
It seems that, Fatima answers exclusively all of the above propositions. Firstly and most importantly, Fatima is a talented and genius individual. Secondly, because her mother is a schoolteacher, for this reason, I assume she gets minimal requirements of parental support, what’s more, her parents invested on her, for the reason that, she graduated from private school, the Islamia Girls Secondary School. I therefore, would argue that Fatima is the first of many Somalis who from time to time will break the records.
More to the point, I will congratulate to Fatima for her historical achievements and say ‘well done Fatima’, I would also say to Deqa and Abdul (parents) bravo. Moreover, you will be other parents’ mirror until we overcome under achievements. Besides, I would argue to Somali parents to bestow the necessary supports to their offspring. I also would urge youngsters to aim high and follow the footsteps of Fatima Warsame.
Abdiweli Garad
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