Impressive Year 8 Pass Rate Defies Odds
Qalivakabau District School achieves 85% success despite Winston and classes in tents.
Students of Koro Island may still be studying in tents but their commitment to knowledge grows stronger.
This is evident when Year Eight students of Qalivakabau District School at Sinuvaca Village this year achieved an 86 per cent pass rate.
According to Lomaiviti Education Officer Owen Ratumaikoro this was an increase from a 53 per cent pass rate achieved in 2016. Mr Ratumaikoro said the pass rate was a great testament to the overall commitment and effort put in by the teachers and students themselves.
“Despite the hardship they faced post Tropical Cyclone Winston the students pulled through and managed to improve their passing rate by 33 per cent compared to last year,” Mr Ratumaikoro said. Koro Island was one of the worst hit when the Category 5 Cyclone hit in February 2016. Four people on the island died from the cyclone. “They did not have the comfort of four supporting walls for a classroom rather it was all achieved while they studied in tents,” Mr Ratumaikoro said.
He applauded the support of parents whom he said played a pivotal role in the daily lives of the stu- dents.
He believes the achievement is an indication that their students can excel regardless of the hardship.
The school caters for 106 students from Year One to Eight from from Naqaidamu, Sinuvaca and Namacu villages; four teachers teach composite classes.