Women who returned to education later in life joined fellow graduates in Van, eastern Türkiye, as 36 Open Education students celebrated what officials said was Türkiye's first graduation ceremony for Open Education high school students on Tuesday.
A total of 36 students who completed Open Education middle school and high school programs through the Tuşba Public Education Center received diplomas, while 17 graduates marked the occasion by wearing academic gowns and tossing their caps.
Among the graduates was 56-year-old Aysel Özbek, a mother of two and grandmother of four, who said she started her educational journey without knowing how to read or write and eventually earned primary school, middle school and high school diplomas.
Speaking at the ceremony, Özbek said graduating had been a lifelong dream and encouraged others not to give up on education because of their age.
"There is no age limit for learning," she said, adding that her next goal is to pursue a university degree through an open education program.
