Returning to the classroom after decades away was not just about gaining qualifications for Sereana Korovulavula, but more about reclaiming hope and dignity for her six children.
Raised in Nabua, Ms Korovulavula grew up in a modest household where her father worked as a civil servant and her mother managed domestic duties.
She attended Dudley Intermediate and Dudley High School, but like many young women, her education was derailed by circumstances beyond the classroom.
While in Form 5, she became pregnant, a turning point that led to school dropout, early marriage and years of hardship marked by financial struggle and domestic abuse.
Eventually separating from her first husband, she found herself a single mother before later remarrying and starting anew with her current husband.
Today, she is a mother of six, balancing the demands of family life with the reality of limited income.
Her husband, a mechanic, driver and farmer, remains the family’s sole-breadwinner, a factor that made her decision to return to school both daunting and necessary.
“I’m doing this for my children,” she said.
“Sometimes when they want something, we can’t provide. That really pushes me to want better for them”
Her path back to education came through the Matua Programme at Nabua Secondary School, which offers a second chance to early school leavers.
Inspired by a former Matua student she met while living on Koro Island, Ms Korovulavula enrolled in 2023.
The transition was far from easy.
After years away from formal learning, adapting to new syllabi, especially in English and Mathematics, required discipline and late nights juggling homework with childcare and household duties.
“There were times I thought I wouldn’t make it,” she said.
“But when I look into my children’s eyes, I know I have to keep going”
Completing the program has not only strengthened her academically but also deepened her bond with her children.
Studying alongside them, she now helps with their schoolwork and models the value of perseverance.
Her determination has already borne fruit.
Ms Korovulavula has secured an offer to study for a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of the South Pacific, with plans to major in Finance and Economics, a field she believes will provide stable employment and allow her to support her family.
She credited the Matua Programme and the Ministry of Education for restoring her confidence and opening doors once thought permanently closed.
Ms Korovulavula encourages women like her to ‘never let anyone put you down’.
“You are the one who drives your destiny. If you set your mind to it, you can overcome anything.”
