SPOTLIGHT
By Dawda Baldeh
In a story of grit, sacrifice and quiet determination, Abubacarr Ceesay has silenced doubters by excelling in both Quranic and conventional education while serving as head boy of Nusrat Senior Secondary School.
From the outset, Ceesay faced challenges on all fronts. Balancing the demands of two academic institutions and a major leadership role, many questioned whether he could succeed in either of them. But his recent achievements have proved otherwise.
Balancing two demanding academic paths, Ceesay earned nine credits in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and graduated with excellence (Mumtaaz) from Mahad Tallinding Islamic Institute.
“Throughout my senior school years, I undertook the extraordinary challenge of attending two schools at once: Mahad Tallinding in the morning for Islamic studies and Nusrat Senior Secondary School in the afternoon for conventional academics,” he told journalist Dawda Baldeh.
After finishing at Mahad, Ceesay progressed to grade 11 at Nusrat, expecting a lighter load. Instead, he was appointed head boy—the highest student leadership position at the school.
“A significant unavoidable responsibility came my way, the largest at the school level (head boyship), and I viewed it as an opportunity I had to seize, despite some advising me it would be a distraction,” he recalled.
The scepticism was constant. “Boy, you cannot do this; please choose one and leave the other until you finish one,” he remembered being told in 2022. But Ceesay remained resolute. “I always told myself, no, I would accomplish this regardless of the obstacles.”
His journey was marked by long days and sleepless nights. “It was never easy, but I was committed to pursuing both deen and dunya with equal sincerity,” he said.
As head boy, his schedule was relentless. “My days were filled with academic work and administrative duties, and even outside of school, I missed many lessons, leaving little time for personal study.”
To keep up, he often stayed overnight at school. “I spent nights at school, particularly in the office assigned to me, utilising that quiet time to study and revise, mostly alongside my dedicated deputy, Babucarr Jammeh,” he said.
Ceesay’s story is not one of comfort, but of purpose. “Like any other student, it wasn’t about comfort; I sought growth, achievement, and service.”
In a time when many struggle to balance even one academic path, Abubacarr Ceesay’s dual success stands as a powerful testament to discipline, faith, and the pursuit of excellence.
