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Successful student is true role model
Naser Alkobir is a role model student.
The 23-year-old hopes other members of Sunderland's black and ethnic minority (BME) communities will follow his example and go into further education.
Naser, who gained his GCSEs at Thornhill School and A-levels at City of Sunderland College, has recently completed a BA (Honours) degree in Business Management at Newcastle University.
Now he has signed up for The Learning and Skills Council North East's BME Role Models Programme for Further Education (FE), set up after research found BME students were more than twice as likely as their white counterparts to be studying at Level 1 or below and less likely to progress to higher level courses.
Naser's parents are from Bangladesh but he was born and brought up in Sunderland, so he understands the challenges of balancing two different cultures.
He is now working on a project that involves building and establishing a primary school in Bangladesh.
"Working as a role model has been a great opportunity to meet new people, share my experiences and also find opportunities for others," he said.
"I'm very lucky to have found opportunities and seized them to develop myself. I feel that everyone should have the opportunity for a good education and have what I have in life right now, which is why I feel like giving back to the community."
Joe Leggett, Director of Learning Support at City of Sunderland College, is hopeful the new scheme will encourage more BME students.
"This programme is an important part of a wider drive from the college to increase participation in learning from ethnic minorities and to become excellent in our commitment to the black and ethnic minority population in Sunderland.
"The Bangladeshi community in the city is significant and yet this is not always reflected in the academic results.
"By working with the local community, Naser is able understand the issues and working with the college, resolve any problems stopping ethnic minority students participating in learning."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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