It’s always a proud moment for hard working parents and guardians when their children take out top awards in their classes.
However, you rarely see students being followed up to the stage by their proud parents or grandparents, as was the case with Busu Secondary School graduate, Vokira Mombi.
Two-hundred-and-sixty-four Grade 12 students graduated on Thursday, November 19, at Busu Secondary School in Lae, Morobe Province.
Among them was social science dux from the Grade 12 line 4 class, Vokira Mombi, who came first in legal studies and economics, and placed second in history.
Mombi stood out from all other awardees because he was the only one whose grandfather followed to the stage, waving proudly and excitedly to everyone. And when Mombi went up for the second time to get his dux award, his grandfather made sure he bowed at the principal, George Noble, who was handing out the top awards.
After the event, proud father John Mombi, a former science teacher at Busu, attributed his son’s achievement to discipline at home.
“In my house, I told my three sons, you can’t be a liability and come back to me. You should be an asset,” he stated. “So your education is your foundation. If you build it inappropriately, you throw it out the window. I’m pleased with what he has done so far and it’s a blessing for me.”
Doreen Mombi, who was quite emotional after her second son’s graduation, said she knew he was a top student as he was committed to his schoolwork.
“Mi lukim olsem em ba wanpla gutpla pikinini lo bihain taim,” she said. “Em man blo stap em yet; independent pikinini. Em no olsem ol narapla pikinini; lo raun o dring o spak o smuk em nogat.”
And of course, Vokira’s excited grandfather, Nobert Meresi, said his grandson’s achievements made him wish that he was back in school.
“Mi hamamas nogut tru,” he said. “Mi hamamas olsem, I should be their age but anyway, ol teikim place already. Mi sa tingim, I should be in that age na ba mi go ya.”
Vokira is hoping to be a lawyer one day and he is confident that with discipline and commitment, he will achieve his dream.
(Proud grandfather, Nobert Meresi, with Busu Secondary School’s social science dux, Vokira Mombi)
