No more shame as Zebedee tackles grade 8 exam

By GLENDA AWIKIAK
CHERYL Zebedee, of Central, is a flexible open distance education (Fode) student with a disability.
She was among 135 Port Moresby Fode students who sat the national grade 8 examinations on Monday and yesterday.
Zebedee said her desire to go to school was there just like other children “but my morale and interest were put down because of too much ridicule and discrimination from other students”.
“Since I enrolled at Yanu Primary School in Rigo, I was on and off school for several years,” she said.
“My siblings after me passed me and proceeded to next levels of education.
“I was told by my parents not to bother about other children so I came as far as grade 6.”
Zebedee enrolled at a Fode centre last year and upgraded her grade 8 English and mathematics marks to qualify for the examinations.
Port Moresby Fode Centre principal Anthony Rayappan said if her marks were good, “we will market her for selection into grade 9 in one of the mainstream secondary schools during the selection period in November”.
He said students with disabilities and elderly people were among the more than 1100 grade 8 and 10 Fode students doing their national examinations this week.
“Age and disabilities are no longer an issue and matter to Papua New Guineans in continuing their education,” Rayappan said.
“People are looking for avenues to continue their education just to get their certificates.
“Fode is giving this opportunity to people of all age and abilities to be enrolled and further their education and be successful in life.”
This week the grade 8s and 10s are doing their national examinations.
Next week will be the grade 12 students.
The grade 8s did their English paper 1 on Monday and English paper 2 and mathematics yesterday.
The grade 10s are doing examinations in five subjects including English, mathematics, science, social science and making a living.
“We have a total of 1009 grade 10 students from Central and NCD sitting for their examinations this week and will conclude on Friday,” Rayappan said.
“Next week will be the grade 12s and we have a total of 471 students to sit for the exam.”
Fode has grown overtime in the provinces.
There are 15,000 students around the country this year.
About 8000 are in grade 8, 10 and 12 and are sitting for their national examinations this week and next week.