Jaddy’s tough school journey a lesson to all

By JACINTA COHLEE
AS students prepare to return to school next week, Jaddy Naki’s education journey which began 17 years ago may be an inspiration to those from less fortunate families.
“I was born into a poor family in the remote part of Ialibu in Southern Highlands. And that was the motivation to battle life’s challenges. Life is not meant to be easy. (The key is) not giving up, but keep pushing harder.”
Jaddy, from Tiri village in the Kewabi local level government of Ialibu-Pangia, Southern Highlands related his story after receiving his Diploma in Primary School Teaching certificate last month from Lae’s Balob Teachers College.
His primary school education in Southern Highlands was often disrupted by tribal fights. But he did not want to give up, and looked for schools in safer areas. He then walked 80 kilometers from Ialibu to Semberigi to attend the Wami Primary School, completing grades five to seven from 2007 to 2009.
“I stayed with my elder sister at Aware. I was in Grade Five when my sister and her husband left for Port Moresby. I was left by myself. I had no school fees and no one to feed me.”
At one stage, he asked the school headmaster to give him work around the school after classes to pay for his school fees.
“After school, I make flower beds around the classrooms, mow grass, and then feed the pigs.”
When he was selected for Grade 9 at the Ialibu Secondary School in 2011, he had to find money for his school fees. But thankfully from Grade 10 onwards, the Government through its fee-free education policy helped him.
“My special thanks to the O’Neill Government for introducing the fee-free education which I enjoyed from grade 10 to 12.”

“ I was born into a poor family in the remote part of Ialibu in Southern Highlands. And that was the motivation to battle life’s challenges. Life is not meant to be easy.”

He also thanks kind-hearted people who helped him along the way, and also acknowledged his leadership skill.
“I thank my Seventh-Day Adventist church family, and the students at the school for trusting me and appointing me as a leader – one the things that motivated me to move on with life, despite the problems. It really helped me develop to be a skilled leader, deal with issues, do God’s work, and speak in public.”
In 2015, he was selected to study auto-electronics at the Goroka Technical College. He graduated a year later with a Certificate in Technical Training.
But he could not find work in Lae related to his training. Then he was offered a job in a totally different field – teaching. He was told to teach Grade 9 and 10 students Mathematics and Science at the Christian Integrated Secondary School for four years.
“It was not what I graduated in. But that was the only job I was offered. So I had to take it.”
To help him in his work, he took up the diploma in primary school teaching course at Balob. For that, he thanks Christian Integrated School director Tine Waine “for showing me the way”.
It is one of the private schools permitted to provide second-chance education to students who have left school. It also provides jobs to university and college graduates looking for one.
“I was one of those who the school helped. It even changed my career and profession.”
His advice to students, including those starting school next week, is to not let adverse situations stop one from moving forward, and to use problems as lessons in life.
“Challenges make life interesting. Overcoming them makes life meaningful. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go. No one else will.”