77-year-old passes high school entrance exam

Lee Ok-jae

By Kwon Ji-youn

A 77-year old woman received her high school entrance qualification certificate in Seoul on Tuesday, having previously halted her studies in the third grade.

Lee Ok-jae, 77, received her certificate at a conferment ceremony held at Yongsan Technical High School in Seoul.

Lee was the oldest of 40 other elderly graduates who attended the ceremony.

“There were difficulties in getting here,” she said. “But I was happy merely to have been given the opportunity to learn and study.”

Lee halted her studies in third grade at age 10, after her mother died.

“I remember going to school, carrying my four-year-old sibling on my back for four kilometers,” she said. “My father suggested I study at home, so I left school for good.”

It was only at age 70 that she became aware she could continue her studies, no matter her age.

Her daughter told her about Yangwon School, a school for housewives offering classes ranging from basic Korean language to qualification examinations.

During her time at the school, Lee encountered several obstacles, including two car accidents, and had to temporarily halt her studies. After only one failed attempt, she passed the examination to attain her new education status ― as a high school graduate.

“I am lucky to have been given this opportunity to study at such an old age,” she said. “I hope young students will also study hard while they’re at school and fulfill all their dreams.”

Lee now dreams of passing the university entrance exam.

This year, 6,641 students passed various qualification examinations, including middle school entrance, high school entrance and high school graduation exams.