Looking back, this is not the first time I have involved myself in this kind of off-campus or part-time learning. In 1977 while I was a DTC trained teacher graduating in 1973, I was lucky to enrol myself with USM, Penang for a 5-year off campus course after obtaining STPM certificate through self study.  The inner cry deep down in my heart had urged me to strive forward because for a C2 teacher with SPM qualification, the starting pay was only RM 310. With this meagre salary, it could hardly enough to pay for daily expenses although my wife was also a C2 teacher then. After completing my degree course in USM and promoted as a D1 teacher, the quality of my family life had improved gradually. We were able to buy our own house although it was a single storey one.

Finally at the age of 56 I retired as lecturer from Teachers' Training College in 2005. There again I enrolled myself as a Master's candidate with the Nanjing University of China conducting the course jointly with Hanjiang College, Penang. After 2 ½ years I graduated as a Master's degree holder. I was then lucky to be offered the post as a lecturer on contract basis by UPSI, Tanjong Malim. Time passed and I retired from UPSI after 5 ½ years to continue my Ph D thesis writing which I was lagging behind because of tight teaching schedule.  I finally completed my Ph D thesis and passed the internal and external evaluation as well.

Success or failure in what we do depends on the amount of effort we have put in. If our family is supportive of what we are engaged in, the success rate is quite certain if we are serious in what we aim for. Students who are physically handicapped could still score many As in SPM or STPM. Will and determination are vital for their success. Similarly, parental love is another key factor for their excellent performances. Recently 'The Sin Chew Daily' had reported widely students who have lost their beloved mother or father had done extremely well so as to console the soul of their loved ones in heaven. They are also those who are suffering from acute sicknesses such as infantile paralysis, amblyopia (weak sight) etc. but they still work hard to achieve praise worthy results. They know pretty well that the only way to help change the life of their own, their families, etc. is to excel in academic arena. Nothing is easy for a person who doesn't care much and takes life lightly; on the other hand nothing is impossible for those who are serious in their pursuance.

Thus, to conclude, it is of paramount importance that we are responsible for what we long for; whether it is successful or otherwise, our attitude is a decisive factor. We should try our best to achieve our goal. We stand by our effort and trials. In every field we are involved in, there are bound to be challenges that demand full participation. Our effort and full involvement is the crucial factor that will decide the rate of our achievement. We decide our own faith, whether it is good or bad, we are responsible for it, totally.

In short, we are accountable for what we do, namely our destiny lies in our own hands. It is true for individual especially, it doesn't matter in what arena he or she was involved in. There were many successful renowned figures in the world, some had little education background but because of their diligence and their determination to strive for success, at the end they made it and became prominent figures known internationally.  Humans could achieve miracles since ancient times till nowadays. But of course, their successes not merely in monetary terms, it could be they invented some scientific methods useful for the advancement of mankind; or they had written some books valuable for human democracy, or discovered  an immune system which could cure some dangerous illness in their medical research, etc. Humans could create wonders once they make up their minds and devote themselves fully in what they aim for.