Man, 50, passes Gr 12
The National, Monday December 2nd, 2013
By JOE TEVENAH OPEKA
HIS applications to Sonoma Adventist College and Pacific Adventist University were rejected.
Among the many young graduates, there were a few older ones – the oldest was 50-year-old Teo Jeffery, who left school at Grade 8 in 1975, now a voluntary SDA Missionary serving 30-plus years in the missions after graduating from Omaura Adventist School of Ministry, beat all odds to graduate on the day.
When asked why he enrolled in Flexible, Open and Distance Education, (FODE) to do Grades 11 and 12, Teo said, he wanted to become a theologian and applied to Sonoma and PAU but his applications were rejected several times as the entry requirements were at Grade 12 in both institutions.
In pursuit to realise that dream, Teo enrolled at FODE Centre in Goroka and had to travel from Kainantu to Goroka to drop his assignments and do his courses.
Teo said several times he got 0 out of 50 in assignments but that did not deter him from achieving his goal of getting a Grade 12 qualification.
After transferring to Kanampa FODE Centre, he was able to make it to Grade 12 with the assistance of helpful tutors.
A proud Teo said he still keeps his 0/50 assignments so he can show them to his children.