Ada's off to university . . after 33 years of studying

Published on Saturday 26 April 2008 12:02

ADA PAGAN has taken the term "lifelong learner" to the extreme.

The 64-year-old from Carrick Knowe – who left school at 15 with no qualifications – has just completed an incredible 33 years of study and is now set to embark on her first university degree.

This year she will graduate from the city's Stevenson College, where she has gained 70 qualifications over the years, and will go to Queen Margaret University to complete an HND in business administration.

During her time at Stevenson, she has gained a total of six A-levels; 17 Highers; 11 O-grades; nine O-levels; 20 credits in business subjects; four certificates in public speaking; and an HNC in business administration. This year she will complete an HNC in languages and tourism.

She said today: "I will be very heavy-hearted to leave. I have a great relationship with the school and the staff.

"I've always been the oldest student, but I don't mind. I would say to anyone thinking about taking up study, 'don't drift, just bite the bullet'."

Ms Pagan left school in 1958 with no qualifications and worked as a shop assistant for 14 years, before becoming a social worker in 1972.

"I didn't like school – I went to James Clark Secondary in St Leonard's, Edinburgh. It was very strict and you were scared to ask a question. Unless you were really clever, you left and got a job."

In 1975 Ms Pagan, who now has no immediate family in Edinburgh, enrolled for two subjects at night school – O-grade English and sociology – at Stevenson College in Edinburgh.

"It was a bit nerve-racking going back to school. I felt completely out of my depth. But I had super lecturers. They could not have been more supportive. Once that course finished, I decided to take geography and history."

Ms Pagan left social work in 1977 to attend Stevenson College full-time for two years.

"I wanted to be able to prove to myself I could do it, so I decided to do more studying. I went on to do a second year and then decided to do O-grade biology, which I got a B in. Getting that proved to me that I could do it, having always had it in my mind that I couldn't."

After that she worked for three years at the Congregational Theological College in Edinburgh's west end to gain accreditation as a lay preacher, which she still is.

Then she worked for four years with the Inland Revenue and then with Customs and Excise. All the while, she was attending Stevenson College.

She retired five years ago and has dedicated all her time since to studying.

Susan Bird, principal of Stevenson College, said: "Ada has been with us for 33 years. We have not had any students who have consistently been here for as long as Ada. She's part of the furniture. She's very well respected and very hard-working.

"She will succeed in her degree, no problem. I don't think she will be away for long. I think she'll come back and study. She's a real example of a lifelong learner."