Working mothers have to show an amazing tenacity to juggle career, domestic chores and study if they have academic pursuits. Evivi Delana was a prime example of this.
The mother of four was one of the 349 Pacific Technical and Further Education (Pacific TAFE) students who graduated at the 2022 University of the South Pacific (USP) graduation ceremony last Wednesday.
Bagging a Diploma in Early Childhood, she described walking up on stage to receive her certificate as “a sweet moment”.
“Working and teaching children has always been my passion,” Ms Delana said.
“This certificate means a lot to me because it shows that all my hard work has finally paid off.” She said although it was a challenge to balance work, being a mum and studies, graduating was well worth the effort.
“I am currently teaching at Nakasi Primary Kindergarten which meant that I had to try and balance that with my studies as well as my family.
“There’s a solution to every problem and that being said, I had to make time for my family and studies throughout the three years of my schooling.”
Ms Delana’s message to youths is “to take part in the early childhood course if there’s a passion there and for those who are still studying don’t give up and ensure that you keep climbing the ladder”.
USP vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia reminded graduates that it was a milestone to celebrate the completion of their degrees which was a great personal accomplishment. He also said it was a momentous occasion shared by all the loved ones who had contributed to their success.
“Let us also acknowledge the family and friends, employers, colleagues, and mentors as well as the staff and sponsors who have also played an essential role in the success of each of our graduates,” he said.
“You can all be proud of your efforts towards these amazing individuals’ achievements.”
The morning graduation session included 103 students from the School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean, and Natural Sciences (SAGEONS), 196 students from the School of Business and Management (SBM), and 68 students from the School of Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics (STEMP).
