Young father who dropped out during COVID becomes FNU’s top apprentice

A young father who once dropped out of university during the COVID-19 pandemic has turned hardship into success after graduating as Fiji National University’s Best Overall Apprentice.

For Ravulo Kuruduadua, the achievement was more than an award — it was proof that giving up was never an option.

Originally from Qelenasavu in the district of Nadrau, Mr Kuruduadua received the top apprentice award during the FNU graduation ceremony at the FMF Gymnasium in Suva on Wednesday.

His journey was shaped by sacrifice, setbacks and long periods away from his wife and two children.

Mr Kuruduadua had initially enrolled in a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering programme at the University of the South Pacific, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced him to abandon his studies after online learning became difficult in his village.

Instead of walking away from education altogether, he took a different path and joined an apprenticeship programme in fitting and machining — a decision he now calls life-changing.

“Taking that opportunity and making good use of it brought me here today,” he said.

Behind the achievement were lonely nights in a hostel and the emotional challenge of being separated from his young family, who stayed with relatives in Suva while he focused on training and studies.

“Being far from home, I always felt homesick,” Mr Kuruduadua said.

Despite the struggles, he stayed focused on creating a better future for his family.

Now recognised as the university’s top apprentice, Mr Kuruduadua has also earned an overseas travel and work opportunity — a reward for the resilience that carried him through one of the hardest chapters of his life.