By Paul Joseph
A 75-year-old Sierra Leonean, Mohamed Lamin Turay, has inspired many after successfully passing the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), recording credits in five subjects despite his advanced age.
Turay’s remarkable academic achievement marks another milestone in an extraordinary educational journey that began at the age of 69, when he made history as Sierra Leone’s oldest recorded candidate to sit the 2019/2020 National Primary School Examination (NPSE).
At the time, he walked into Rose of Shalom Primary School in Makeni to take the examination, demonstrating his determination to pursue formal education regardless of age.
He subsequently passed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2023, paving the way for his latest achievement at the senior secondary school level.
Although Turay secured passes in five subjects in the 2026 WASSCE, he reportedly scored F9 in English Language, a subject that proved challenging for several candidates this year.
Speaking with Probe Media-SL during the examination period, the 75-year-old disclosed that his ambition goes beyond obtaining academic certificates, revealing his lifelong dream of becoming the Speaker of Sierra Leone’s Parliament.
His achievement has sparked admiration, with his journey serving as an inspiring reminder that the pursuit of education and personal ambitions should not necessarily be limited by age.
Turay’s determination to progress from primary school examinations to the senior secondary certificate examination in his seventies has also raised conversations about lifelong learning and the importance of providing educational opportunities for people of all ages.
At 75, his political ambition may appear unconventional, but his story demonstrates that he is unwilling to allow age to define the limits of his dreams.
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