A husband should be supportive of his spouse’s career and urge her to upgrade her qualification.

This was the message by Aonira Taboia, who received her academic excellence award during graduation.

Ms Taboia graduated from the Then India Sanmarga Ikya (TISI) Sangam College of Nursing and Health Care Education with a Postgraduate Diploma in Midwifery.

The 34-year-old mother has two children. She was the only candidate who received an Academic Excellence award in a postgraduate programme among the majority of candidates who graduated at the Kshatriya Hall in  Labasa yesterday.

She says she has a supportive husband back home who has helped pave the way to her success.

Mrs Taboia, a nurse at the Rabi Island Health Centre on Rabi Island accredited her success to her husband, Rusiate Torau.

“I would like to thank my husband for allowing me to further my studies,” Ms Taboia said.

“I had to leave the island and my family to work in Labasa so that I could attend classes.

“It was very difficult for me as a mother to leave my kids with my husband to manage for a year.

“But I am thankful to God for helping my husband to be a good yaqona farmer, an understanding husband and a loving father to my kids.

“I hope that other husbands can be very understanding and allow their wives to study,” she said.

“There are so many women who have a dream to study but unfortunately cannot do so even though they are financially secured because their husbands feel that after marriage there is no need to study.

“I can’t wait to take this trophy back to the island and show it to my family and resume work at the Rabi Health Centre,” she said.

“I would like to thank the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the TISI Sangam College of Nursing for giving me the opportunity to upgrade my qualification and arrange my transfer of work.”

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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