Salote Tikoibua remains resolute in her decision to take time off from work to support her son, Michael Trinity Tikoibua.

He is among the thousands of students across Fiji who sat for the Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (LANA), which started yesterday.

Ms Tikoibua is a registered midwife at the Savusavu Sub-Divisional Hospital and understands the importance of quality time with her family.

Although Michael lives in Labasa with their relatives and attends Holy Family Primary School, Ms Tikoibua makes the effort to spend time with her children during her days off or when accompanying patients from Savusavu to Labasa Hospital for treatment.

Ms Tikoibua said valuing family time held great significance as it instilled hope and gratitude in her for her children.

“When I told him (Michael) that I will at least stay back for his first paper today (yesterday), he was grateful,” she said.

“He was emotional.”

For Michael and his classmates, this year’s LANA is significant because they missed out on the assessment during Year Five due to COVID-19 pandemic.

This marks their first external exam experience.

Michael was optimistic that the unwavering support from his mother would ease his exam jitters.

The LANA assessment ends today.

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