RPIS News – Fourth Article

Meet Wonderful Teacher Ahmed,
RPIS Middle School Leader

Published November 21, 2024 − Brief student news staff bios are below the article

EARLY LIFE

The Lead Teacher at RPIS Middle School is Mr. Ahmed Adam Gololo. He was born and raised in a small village called Gololo, in the northeastern part of Nigeria. He grew up in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, in a family of 10 siblings (he was the 8th born), plus cousins, uncles, and others. His home was always lively, filled with love and wonderful memories.  His Mother taught him to live with integrity, to work hard, and to help others without expecting anything in return. Her words have stayed with him throughout his life. He always aimed high because he knew his big extended family was watching, which pushed him to strive for excellence.         
  

ATTRACTION TO MATH AND SCIENCE

From his primary school days, he found math enjoyable. He was a top math student without having to study much for it. He still loves math and feels naturally drawn to numbers and calculations. He considered pursuing math at university, but chose pharmacy due to its potential for improving health in Nigeria. His wide background in science enabled him to update the RPIS science laboratory this year to support experiential learning in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

UNIVERSITY STUDIES

After completing a tertiary diploma in sciences, T. Ahmed did a five-year pharmacy degree from 2014 to 2019. He has interned, worked in healthcare, and also taught. Now, he is drawn to areas that combine pharmacy with math, like public health and health economics. For a master’s at Chulalongkorn University, he researched mathematical models in healthcare, focusing on neglected diseases like snake bites. His passion for math still drives him. One of his best university memories was joining the student union at university, which helped him overcome a fear of public speaking. He ran for president of his faculty’s student council and won, thanks to all the support he received.

A NATURAL TEACHER WITH A BIG GOAL

In his home community, T. Ahmed was called “Uncle Ahmed,” because he’d help neighbors and friends with schoolwork. Later, he formally pursued teaching, and it has been rewarding ever since. Some RPIS students, with a history of math challenges, have exclaimed that T. Ahmed has helped them conquer their difficulties. His academic journey has been the  biggest adventure in life so far. His dream is to reach the highest academic level and eventually return to Nigeria to start a school.

EXPERIENCING THAI CULTURE

Since his arrival in 2022, T. Ahmed has found living in Thailand eye-opening. Adjusting to the culture involved the familiar and the different. For example, Nigerian food is also very spicy, and Thailand is a beautiful place with welcoming people. In Nigeria, on the other hand, he points out that culture is very connected to religion, and traditional attire is common even in professional settings. In Thailand, that’s less common. 

THE RPIS FAMILY EXPERIENCE

Based on his months so far at RPIS, May to November, T. Ahmed says “this is really a wonderful place and I want to seize this opportunity to appreciate the founders, the administrative staff and other staff (academic and non-academic), the teachers, and the students, for making me part of their family.” When he said he wants to pursue a PhD, one of the students asked if he is leaving them: He reiterated that the PhD is not for now and that he is very comfortable at RPIS and he really wishes to continue impacting the lives of the RPIS students while we all grow together.