Mother and son graduate together 25 years after her first degree
His first degree, her PhD: Mum and son graduate together 25 years after she carried him at last UTHM convocation
BATU PAHAT, Dec 6 - For Dr Norshila Abu Bakar, 51, this year's Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) convocation was more than just a personal milestone. It was a dream...
2025-12-06T09:12:18+00:00
education, covid-19, tech, environment, malaysia, news, education-and-self-development, personal-growth, learning
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) held its 25th convocation, celebrating 4,915 graduates across diplomas, degrees, and postgraduate studies. Among them were a mother and son who marked personal milestones—one earning a PhD after pandemic delays, the other receiving his bachelor’s degree. The ceremony also honoured a prominent figure in technical education with an honorary doctorate.
The convocation saw 142 students awarded PhDs, 393 receiving master’s degrees, 3,610 earning bachelor’s degrees, and 770 completing diplomas. One of the PhD recipients, Dr Norshila Abu Bakar, faced a prolonged academic journey. Her studies stretched nearly two years beyond schedule due to Covid-19 restrictions and the Movement Control Order (MCO). This achievement came 25 years after she received her Master of Education at UTHM—while pregnant with her son, Akmal Hafiz Nurhizal Azam.
The convocation highlighted both individual perseverance and institutional achievement. Dr Norshila’s delayed PhD and Akmal’s degree symbolise resilience in education, while the honorary doctorate underscores UTHM’s role in honouring contributions to national development. The university now looks ahead after celebrating its largest cohort of graduates to date.
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