There were times Sera Volavola had to attend school without lunch because of financial constrains at home.

That didn’t stop the 18-year-old student of Khalsa College in Ba from passing her Year 13 examination with flying colours.

Sera and her mother, Meiva Naqiri, were among Year 13 students yesterday at the education office at Selbourne Street, Suva, when the results were released. She passed.

“I did this for my mother who had worked tirelessly to provide everything that I needed ever since I was young,” she said.

“There is no word to describe how I am thankful for her struggles,” she said.

Miss Sera said she would not stop working hard until she achieved her goal to become a nurse.

Ms Naqiri was reduced to tears when she saw her daughter’s exam results.

“As a single mother, I am humbled and thank my daughter for keeping up with me. She stood with me through every struggle until today,” she said.

“Sometimes, as a mother, I am not able to give her what she wants due to our financial problems. She is always content with whatever I was able to afford for her. There was never a time that she complained about her upbringing.”

Minister Reddy

In a statement yesterday, the Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, Mahendra Reddy, said no student had failed the Year 13 exam this year

“I assure the nation that we will have much better results in years ahead as we will have much better prepared students moving to higher classes given the changes we have made to our education system,” he said.