Write on Ruzia!

She would panic and spend most of the time checking how to spell every word - not just the difficult ones.

Ruzia, who's 40, suffers from dyslexia, which led to loss of confidence in herself, but now she feels as if she's won the Pools because she's gone back to school and gained some qualifications.

Ruzia, who lives in Eynsham with her family and husband, Bob, said: "I knew I had a problem in writing and found it so difficult having to write sick notes when one of my boys was ill. I couldn't even write words like 'absent' and it's awful when you have to ask your son to do it for you. I found it embarrassing."

She added: "One of my boys is also dyslexic and I only found out I was very dyslexic recently. I can read more easily than I can write, but I really struggled at school and I suppose I was lucky with the fact that I was not held back"

Ruzia took a decision. She was worn out looking after her sons, who range in age from four to 20, so she decided to do something just for herself - she went back to school. And although Ruzia struggled to read and write, the dyslexic mum has proved she can still be a success. "I trained to be a hairdresser 20 years ago but when I got married I stopped doing it. I did part-time child minding because I loved children and it meant I could work and still look after my own children.

"Then a friend asked if I would do a return-to-learn course at Bartholomew School in Eynsham which was a confidence booster."

She decided to take the plunge and found herself in a nice friendly atmosphere.

"There have been times when I think I can't cope with it anymore but I didn't want to let people down. One of my sons had special needs tuition for a year but when I was at school I just plodded on.

"I didn't take any GCSEs because I was worried about failing so I found a job as a trainee hairdresser. In a way I regret not staying on at school because I was capable but my confidence was holding me back," Ruzia admits.

She has been offered extra help but she can't spare any more time because if she is not washing, ironing or cleaning, she is feeding seven hungry mouths.

"Then a friend suggested I went back into hairdressing. She gave me a kick in the right direction and actually took me to Oxford College of Further Education and I am doing an NVQ level 2 hairdressing qualification. Ruzia can do her written assignments verbally and has passed all the practical exams, with a few more written examinations to do. She said: "It's has been like winning the Pools - and it's such a relief because I have had such a lot of help from the college. I think it has been very beneficial because people do lose their confidence and start to think they can't do anything else." West Indies here I come SALLY-Ann Crosbie was at a loss when she moved to Oxford with her husband, who is training to be a vicar.

The 29-year-old, of Cowley Road, had studied marine engineering and then trained to be a medical receptionist but still wasn't sure what to do.

She said: "We moved here because my husband is training for the priesthood so I wanted something to do. I found a leaflet in the library about the Ruskin Learning Project at Ruskin College in Oxford, to get adults back into education, so I went along.

"I did Changing Directions and New Directions. Both are for unemployed people but New Directions is geared towards giving careers advice and you are taught interview skills."

It was a godsend for Sally-Ann, who didn't know what she was going to do or whether she was going to find a job. "Being part of the Ruskin Learning Project did fire me up and I knew I could get back into education.

"I was quite scared because we had moved from rural Devon to Oxford but I was welcomed with open arms and everything about me was instantly accepted."

She then went to Oxford College of Further Education and is the oldest one in the class but doesn't find it a problem.

"They give me a certificate for completing each term. This term I'm doing a management course," said Sally-Ann.

When she lived in Devon, her husband renovated a mansion and Sally-Ann grew and sold organic vegetables and then worked for an art and social education company.

She is moving to the West Indies this autumn with her husband and feels it is important to learn enough to be able to help her husband in his new career.

"I'm going to be a vicar's wife so my main aim was to get administration qualifications.

"I don't think Adult Learners Week is high-profile enough.

"I only knew about it from being in education. I think life-long learning is very important.

"The day you stop asking why is the day you stop learning." Five facts to learn

Adult Learner's Week runs until Friday

It is a national initiative which aims to raise awareness of the benefits of education and training provision for adults

It identifies why people want to learn, informs them how to go about it and encourages them to take the plunge

Last year the national telephone hotline answered 10,000 calls of which 45 per cent were male and 55 per cent female

Why do adults want to learn? The majority of enquirers gave their reasons as seeking promotion, moving house, they had lost their job or their marriage had broken up and they needed a new start. Enquiries Helpline at Oxford College of Further Education - 01865 269 269

Ruskin Learning Project at Ruskin College - 01865 554331 ENDS

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.