A single mother who balanced farming, family and education was among the 253 students who graduated from Pacific Polytech Vuci Center today.

Teupola Adimaitoga, a farmer from Waibau in Naitasiri decided to return to school last year after dedicating over twenty years to raising her son and managing her family’s 15-acre farm.

However, her journey was not without its challenges.

In May, she suffered the loss of her father and brother, both of whom had been key in helping manage the family farm.

Their deaths were a devastating blow.

Despite this heartbreaking loss, Adimaitoga pressed on with her dream of completing her Information Technology (IT) qualification.

Reflecting on the difficult time, she admitted that she considered giving up but realized that finishing the course would honor the memory of her late father and brother.

Her path to graduation was far from easy. In addition to her IT studies, Adimaitoga completed a Front Desk and Office Management course last year.

The 20 weeks of study were intense, especially as she had to leave home by 6 a.m. each day to attend classes from 8 am to 4 pm.

Throughout it all, her 21-year-old son took on the responsibility of managing their farm, allowing her to focus on her education.

“After graduating today, it motivates me to just move on and continue doing farming to help my family.”

Adimaitoga credited her son’s support as a key factor in her success.

Her dream is to expand the family farm and eventually create job opportunities for others.

She believes the skills she has gained will help her manage the farm more effectively and open up new opportunities for her family’s future.

Another graduate, Fijian Broadcasting Cooperation Radio personality Milika Malaka also shared her experience.

Passionate about automotive work, Malaka decided to pursue training in the field after experiencing the high costs of car repairs.

Today, she holds a Certificate III in Engineering and Automotive and plans to further her education in this field.

“I am pleading with young Fijians in communities and villages and that is if you’re unsure about where to start, I am urging you to enroll in one of the Polytech Centres around Fiji. The courses offered by this institution is paid for by the government and we need to take adavantage of it.”

Malaka believes that the skills provided by the institution could lead to job prospects both locally and internationally.

Pacific Polytech Director Peni Taoi reiterated that the qualifications offered by the institution are nationally recognized.

“Pacific Polytech is moving, it’s now providing programs to those people that are out there in the communities because this is the reason why we were established in the first place.”

Taoi also explained that Pacific Polytech’s approach to education focuses on practical skills and real-world knowledge rather than traditional exams.