She spends her spare time in a similar way to many other
ten-year-old girls - playing with Barbie dolls and making loom bands. But
the key difference between Esther Okade and other children her age is that she
has been accepted to study for a university maths degree - despite not going to
school.
Esther, from Walsall, West Midlands, has enrolled on an
Open University course months after she passed her A-levels - and wants to
study for a PhD before running her own bank.
The girl, who gained a C grade in her maths GCSE aged six,
has joined the course which started this month. Her younger brother Isiah is
already studying for his A-levels - also aged six.
The siblings are both home-schooled by their mother Omonefe,
who has converted the living room of their semi-detached, three-bedroom house
into a makeshift classroom.
Mathematician Mrs Okade, 37, said: ‘Esther is doing so well.
She took a test recently and scored 100 per cent. Applying to the university
was an interesting process because of her age.
‘We even had to talk to the vice-chancellor. After they
interviewed her they realised that this has been her idea from the beginning.
From the age of seven Esther has wanted to go to university.
‘But I was afraid it was too soon. She would say, “Mum, when
am I starting?”, and go on and on and on. Finally, after three years she told
me, “Mum, I think it is about time I started university now”.’
Mrs Okade added that Esther - who will study for her degree
at home - was ‘flying’ and ‘so happy’ when she was accepted by the university,
and wants to be a millionaire.
She said: ‘For now we want her to enjoy her childhood as
well as her maths. By the time she was four I had taught her the alphabet, her
numbers, and how to add, subtract, multiply and division.
‘I saw that she loved patterns so developed a way of using
that to teach her new things. I thought I would try her with algebra, and she
loved it more than anything.’
Esther stunned her parents last year when she achieved a B
grade in her pure maths A-level.
She applied to the Open University last August - and after a
phone interview, an essay and an exam, she was told in December that she had
been accepted onto the course.
Her father Paul, 42, a managing director, added: ‘I cannot
tell you how happy and proud I am as a father. The desire of every parent is to
see their children exceed them, and take the family name to great heights, and
my children have done just that.’