HEART-RENDING TALE ON EDUCATION: DR. MAUGAN BUAT MOSAID’S STORY

My latest post on how I earned my college and masteral degrees earned several reactions and comments, including stories of how others earned their diplomas as well.

But perhaps, the most dramatic story shared with me came from my friend, Dr. Maugan Buat Mosaid, a Maguindanao intellectual who now works as Municipal Administrator in the town of Pikit, North Cotabato.

I felt a lump in my throat as I was reading his story and I feel that his story needs to be shared to make people realize that to many of us education is priceless.

DR. MAUGAN BUAT MOSAID’S STORY:

“I have an equally long story of how I earned my college education.

“I do not intend to put the lengthy details here, but you may have an idea if I tell you that one time I got only ten pesos (P10) from my parents, and that was all that they can give me for one semester.

“You might be tempted to ask how in the world was I able to enroll in college for the first time.

“There was little amount of money (P200) being saved for the hospitalization of my younger sister who was afflicted with fever (off and on) for about two weeks already.

“I asked her to allow me to use the money for my enrollment.

“To cut the long story short, three days after I had enrolled, I went back home to check on my sister. She was already a cold cadaver when I reached home, and this made me crazy – something that haunts me still to this day.

“And this was the compelling reason (read inspiration) that made me worked so hard for my children’s education.

“Alhamdulillah, each one of our four children has a college diploma, three of them are gainfully employed.

“Turning negatives to positives and converting weakness to strength, not only did I struggle to make all our children graduate from college; I also finished my masters and doctoral studies.

“We graduated at the same time with Gov. Manny (with his Masters in Rural Economic Development, and my PhD. in Rural Development).

“Young boys and girls – you can also do this; Sir Manny and I did it (hard and difficult but it was always sweet). May this story inspire you.”

What a poignant tale of a man’s determination to earn education.

You could share you stories as well.

(photo caption: Dr. Maugan B. Mosaid with his wife. Photo lifted from his facebook.com page.)