Golden success for high-flying Munira

OLDHAM Sixth Form College is celebrating a former student’s prestigious House of Commons award.

Dr Munira Mirza, now London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and Education, was presented with the Association of Colleges (AoC) Gold Award by Lord Willis of Knaresborough.

The college was the only one in the North-West represented in the annual awards this year, and the only sixth-form college.

Munira currently advises London Mayor Boris Johnson on his priorities for culture and education and leads the use of a £40 million budget for education and youth investment.

Dr Mirza said: “I am honoured to receive this award and be counted among so many distinguished people.

“I am truly grateful to the staff at Oldham Sixth Form College who gave me such inspiration and encouragement when I was a teenager and opened up so many opportunities to me.

“I can honestly say that I’d not be where I am today without the support of my former teachers. It remains a very successful organisation and I am pleased to remain in touch with them.

“I know they will continue to do their best for young people and the area more generally.”

Dr Mirza was nominated by the college, where she studied her A-levels between 1994 and 1996.

On leaving, she was awarded prizes for English literature and one for outstanding academic results, before going on to Mansfield College, Oxford, to read English language and literature — graduating in 1999.

Peter Roberts, deputy principal at Oldham Sixth Form College, said: “I was lucky enough to teach Munira history and vividly remember what a truly outstanding student she was.”