| Universiti Putra Malaysia

Crossing South China Sea every week to obtain PhD

By: Dr. Cheng Kai Wah

SERDANG, Jan 11—To obtain a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Dr. Siti Sabihah Ghazali had to cross the South China Sea weekly for seven semesters, flying from Sarawak to attend lectures at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

“As exhausting as the travelling for the seven semesters might have been, the efforts I made could set as an example and inspire other students and the community.

"We must discipline ourselves in seeking knowledge," added Siti Sabihah, who was conferred a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Administration at the 44th UPM convocation ceremony here, today.

Dr. Siti Sabihah, 35, from the School of Graduate Studies, UPM, had successfully completed her PhD in seven semesters.

The Malay language teacher, who is serving at a secondary school in Sibu, Sarawak, said time management was very important because of her hectic schedule.

“I have to teach 33 hours a week from Monday to Thursday. Right after school, I would fly to Kuala Lumpur because I had to attend lectures and do research work on Thursday and Friday evenings,” she said.

She added that after her lectures, the Sultan Abdul Samad Library became her second home to write her thesis.

“I returned to Sibu on Saturday to make preparations for my teaching and learning (PdP) activities for the following week. I also spent my time on the plane reading published papers to help me write my thesis.

"Those were my routines since the first day I registered myself as a Doctor of Philosophy candidate until I graduate," said Siti Sabihah, who believes in 'where there is a will, there is a way'.

According to her, the family’s support and blessings were the main strengths that drove her to complete her PhD.

At the same time, she said students need to ensure that they get adequate sleep and spend time playing sports to ensure a healthy body and mind. - UPM

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