A TEENAGER who arrived in the UK from Iran last year is determined to overcome the challenges of the coronavirus crisis to continue pursuing his dreams.

Asylum seeker Kurdu Rasuli, 17, came to this country in September and joined a foster family.

And he enrolled as an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) student at Keighley College.

Now, with the Bradford Road campus temporarily closed, Kurdu is studying from home – and excelling.

His main focus is on completing a detailed grammar book, involving various worksheets and writing activities.

He is also engaging in conversations within the household to further develop his English speaking skills.

Kurdu’s lifetime ambition is to become a barber, and he hopes to enrol on a barbering course at the college in September.

His foster carer, Janet Hidi, says Kurdu is an inspiration.

She added: “Kurdu’s zest for learning is inspiring – he has a tenacious attitude and has been studying at home every day since the college closure.

“Despite devastating family circumstances and experiencing a traumatic journey from Iran, he has an incredibly positive personality with admirable morals and a great sense of humour.

“He has fully immersed himself in college life – he loves the environment there and making friends.While studying from home, he is making an immense effort to constantly communicate with our two other foster children and my son.

“It’s phenomenal to see how Kurdu’s confidence has skyrocketed since September.”

The ESOL studies cover speaking and listening, reading and writing, vocabulary and punctuation and grammar.

Jo Rusden, programme manager for adult and community at Keighley College, said: “It’s incredibly important for us to provide enriching learning experiences for all our students. We appreciate how apprehensive non-native English speakers may feel coming to college, but we go above and beyond to create a welcoming environment. Seeing Kurdu improve his English skills is really rewarding and we hope to see him on our barbering course in September.”