Susulan Tawi-Tawi

TTSAT Class Valedictorian: The Value of Time

7/29/2022 11:05:00 PMFJ HAMJA

Isahac graduated again as Class Valedictorian for the fourth time.

AHMAD HANEEF YUSOP ISAHAC remained to be the cream of the crop of his batch as he graduates as Class Valedictorian on June 28, 2 022 and led the 365 graduates this year of the Tawi-Tawi School of Arts and Trades (TTSAT). He currently holds the highest number awards ong Senior High School graduates in TTSAT with 20 medals and 20 certificates from both academic and co-curricular activities. He also obtained the highest score in MSU-SASE among the TTSAT SHS graduates in the last five years. He graduated from Ima'am Ulama Elementary School in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi as Class Valedictorian. In junior high school, he finished With Highest Honors at MSU-TCTO Manuk-Mangkaw. He does not only excelled in western education for he also graduated as the Class Valedictorian of Mahad Manuk Mangkaw Al-Arabie Al-Islamie in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi.

This 19 year-old lass is active not just in academic but in extra curricular activities as well. He was the Student Body Organization President in Junior High School, Muslim Students Association - Vice-president and President of Sci-Pi Society (Science and Mathematics Students) in TTSAT. He's also good in sports like badminton, soccer, table tennis and basketball. This shows that he's not the weirdo-type of Valedictorian you've met in school.

Haneef was born and raised in Simunul, Tawi-Tawi on April 24, 2003 to both Simunulian parents: Mr. Abdulwahab Isahac and Mrs. Sitti Rashida Isahac. Growing up, he loves reading noble books like Holy Qur'an and Islamic stories.

Here's an excerpt of Ahmad's interview to some of our questions:

1. What are your secrets in achieving your dreams/excelling in both Islamic and Western education?

"There’s a lot to do in order to achieve our dreams. My own way to excelling both islamic and western education is to manage my time, I always mind that time is LIFE. And we all know that seeking knowledge about Islam is obligatory for all Muslims, it will benefit us, help and guide us not just in this world but also in our Akhira. Hard work is my key to achieve my dreams and achievements in both islamic and western education".

2. What is your advice to young Muslims in today's generation who wants to excel both in Islamic and Western Education?

"Nowadays, many youths stress out about excelling both in islamic and western education, they’re thinking more about western education, in short they’re more focused in this world. They did not analyze the world of balance. My advice to young Muslims in today’s generation is to know and comprehend the value of time, you must not let go about how you handle both Islamic and western education. Time management is the key to excel both in islamic and western education, they are both important to us. But you always remember Allah guide you no matter what, so hold on, don’t let go. These both education will help you prepare and acquire a better future not just for yourself but for your family and community as well.

3. What are ur plans after senior high school?

"My plan after my senior high school is I want to continue my studies at MSU Tawi-Tawi. I want to pursue a Bachelor of Secondary Education major in Sciences since I pursued STEM strand in senior high school and just like my father, I aspire to be an educator someday. I have a great feeling that I will succeed in teaching because I really found my skills and interests on this course. I want to acquire more knowledge and skills in the world of Science since it always fascinates me. As a matter of commitment, I wanted to be one of the pieces of inspiration to life of other dreamers specially the Tawi-Tawi children 'cause just like our national hero I also believe that the youth is hope of our motherland."

4. Any message u want to share with your fellow young Tawi-Tawians?

"My message for my fellow young Tawi-Tawians, you must always remember that life is hard but never ever give up. Pray, believe, work hard with strength and you will be successful someday. If there were a bad things happened in your past don’t let it stay with you for the hereafter, don’t let the past hit you harder. For get about it and get the lesson learn from it. We need to focus on our future and move forward because it doesn’t matter how you start the race but what matter mosts is how you end the race".

5. Simunul is known as the cradle of Islam in the Philippines, so what are your hopes for young Simunulians?

"I hopes for young Simunulians that their dreams or goals will be come true someday. The dreams that will help and improve the lives of not just the Simunulians but Tawi-Tawians in general. I hope more Simunulians will be inspired and aspire to become a better citizen of our country so that we can help uplift the quality of life in Tawi-Tawi and I hope many young Simunulians would excel and pursue not just Western education but Islamic education as well and would make every Simunulian’s heart more closer to Allah SWT since we came from the Cradle of Islam in the Philippines."

Isahac together with his parents, Dr. Jalas and Gov. Sali of Tawi-Tawi

Bongao Youth People Tawi-Tawi Youth

MSU-TCTO Golden Batch’s Summa Cum Laude: Life is a journey, not a race

7/28/2022 07:39:00 PMFJ HAMJA

(From left: MSU-TCTO Chancellor, Ms. Nuruddin and her parents)

The Mindanao State University Tawi-Tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (MSU-TCTO) produced its first female Summa Cum Laude after fifty years of delivering quality education in the Southern Philippines.

Ms. Nahdiyya Nuruddin, who spent her academic studies in MSU-TCTO since kindergarten. She finished her kindergarten and elementary education at MSU-TCTO Laboratory Elementary School (LES), her junior high school at MSU-TCTO Science High School, pursued Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) at MSU-TCTO Senior High School as Class Valedictorian, obtained a Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English (BSEd English) during the MSU-TCTOs 50th Commencement Exercises, and graduated as Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors) with a grade point average (GPA) of 1.196. She was the Class Marshal of her batch and received a cash gift of P30,000 from her University aside from the awards as Summa Cum Laude and Outstanding Pre-Service Teacher of the College of Education. Ms. Nuruddin is the 3rd Summa Cum Laude after Basil V. Sali (CAS, 2004) and Aljemedin Jaudinez (CoEd, 2015). She is the first Summa Cum Laude under the administration of Chancellor Mary Joyce Z. Guinto-Sali of MSU-TCTO.

The Summa Cum Laude reveals her secrets in achieving her dreams and excelling in Western education.

“Diligence, perseverance, prayers, and faith in Allah were my secrets. I was not the confident and intelligent type of student. As a matter of fact, I considered myself inferior. However, instead of envying others, I focused on myself, my dreams, while holding on to my college mottos: "Success only comes to those who work hard for it" and "Just do your best and Allah will do the rest." That's why, I always did my best in everything and of course with prayers to Allah. Diligence and perseverance are indeed one of the keys to success, well for me. Because with these, one becomes unstoppable even amidst hurdles. On the other hand, prayers and faith in Allah are everything. We may be unstoppable when it comes to wanting successes in life, but if Allah does not will it, nothing will happen. That's why I constantly asked Allah for help and guidance during my college journey; I always prayed and asked Him that may whatever I was working for will be mine. And indeed Allah is the best listener and disposer of all affairs. Alhamdulillah, I got what I worked hard and prayed for. Another thing that I consider as a secret is doing things ahead of time. Whenever there's a task given to us, I worked on it right away. I didn't want to make it wait until the deadline is near.

Asked what are her advices to young Muslims in today's generation who want to excel academically, she states that:

Theodore Roosevelt said, "Believe you can and you are halfway there." Thus, my advice to them is to always believe they can, and that Allah is the best to seek for guidance and help. I was not an academic achiever from kinder to Junior High School. That's why, when I became an honor student in Senior High, I hardly believed it myself because from grade school to junior high, I was always on the end of the rope, among those who are last in class. However, it occurred to me that to achieve something does not require you to be an achiever from your childhood. From kinder to Junior high, with all the modesty aside, I didn't take my studies seriously. I didn't even thought of becoming an honor student. Then that big turn happened in Senior High and I believe it was also Allah's plan. Thus, what I can advise others is to believe in themselves. There's nothing shameful in trying. If you think it's too late and hopeless, think otherwise. Nothing is ever late and hopeless as long as one breathes. It maybe that you didn't push a little harder. It maybe that you didn't try a little better. Try. And when trying, do not forget to ask Allah for help and guidance. When trying, try with perseverance and diligence. Work hard and smart and do best. Then when you achieved something, always be grateful to Allah and be humble. Apart from that, when you are in a position to help a friend or someone, do not hesitate to lend your hand. Because Allah helps those who help others. Allah will help you in your success, Inshaa Allah.

Ms. Nuruddin also shared her future plans after college.

Some says that I should look for a job first before I take the LET. However, I have already enrolled in Carl Balita Review Center (CBRC). After college, at first, I planned to look for a job. However, I changed plan. Now I am after the review for March 2023 LET because I want to start establishing a career by being a licensed professional first (Inshaa Allah.) I want to become a teacher and I want to practice the profession with the license to teach. Inshaa Allah, if I passed the LET, I will then look for a job. I put all my affairs in Allah's care.

Her definition of success is:

For me, success depends on what aspect of life we look at it from. It can be a person, a thing, or a situation. It can be a feeling of accomplishment, fulfillment, and happiness. It can be the "Alhamdulillah" and "Finally" after long endeavors and hard work – a well-recompensed efforts. It can be anything that makes me happy and makes my family proud of me.

She also wants to share a message to her fellow young Tawi-Tawians.

Contentment is a virtue but let us not be contented of having less WHEN there's a possibility and opportunity for us to have more. Allah gives us a chance everyday. Let us always take that chance, everyday, to create possibilities and open opportunities. If it's poverty that hinders us, think that there are a lot of now professionals and successful people who were once just like us. How many fellow Tawi-Tawians whose names were heard across our seas? How many fellow Tawi-Tawians who were once like us but are now successful in their lives? Those people worked so hard. Nothing comes from nothing. Success costs us something and the least it costs us to work (hard for it.) Take poverty not as a hindrance but as an impetus.

Sometimes, we think that our dreams are too high for us and are impossible. But, true as the day and night, nothing is impossible to Allah. We just have to have two faiths. Faith in ourselves that we can and faith in Allah that nothing is impossible. No dream or achievement is too big and too high for someone who believes in himself and has Allah in his life. If things don't work our ways and expectations, do not be frustrated. It might be Allah's redirection. We plan and Allah also plans and He is the best of planners. It might be that it's not yet your time or something better is in reserve for you. Success is also a matter of time Allah's perfect timing. Others may get ahead of us but that doesn't mean we will not arrive at the same destination towards success. Life is a journey, not a race and everyone of us has our own pace. Just move forward. When we stumble and fall, get up. And when we are getting farther and farther ahead in life, let us always look back.

Fellow Tawi-Tawians, let us reach for stars and keep our feet rooted to the ground.