MOTHER OF THREE NAMED DUX AT KTF FODE

Over 840 Western Province students graduated from the Kokoda Track Foundation Flexible Open Distance Education (KTF FODE) making it the largest graduating cohorts in the Fly River area.

This was through the landmark partnership of SDP and KTF working alongside the Western Province Division of Education to extend education pathways to some of the province’s most remote communities, offering students a second chance at education like Marilyn Duwaba.

Marilyn, a busy single mother of three boys and a local primary school teacher in Kiunga, recently celebrated her graduation, successfully upgrading her Grade 12 results through FODE. When she first completed Grade 12 over 25 years ago, Marilyn received a GPA well below her goal.

Determined to meet the new minimum government requirements for schoolteachers, Marilyn grasped the opportunity to upgrade via a program that offered the flexibility she needed as a committed teacher.

Her determination paid off. In 2024, Marilyn not only improved her GPA, but she was honored as Dux of her class. In response to her achievement, Marilyn said, ‘I was so excited that my effort had paid off. I feel that with this kind of opportunity in the community, we don’t have to stay at the same level; we can continue to advance ourselves and provide good opportunities for our families and contribute to our communities as well.’

Marilyn wants to share her story to encourage people who are thinking about giving education another go but are hesitant about their ability to learn. She hopes that her story will show that if you persevere, you will eventually succeed.

She shared these words of encouragement, “You don’t stop because it does not turn out right the first time. If you want to achieve something, then you keep going. Education does not end with a certain grade; we can keep upgrading ourselves so we can provide a better community for ourselves and our families.’

A testament to the lasting partnerships that drive this initiative, the graduation celebrations across Western Province were attended by representatives from local government, SDP and KTF, including Western Provincial Education Advisor, Mr. Charlie Buia, SDP Director of Education, Dr Brad Shaw, KTF CEO, Dr Genevieve Nelson and KTF Head of Education, Ms. Martha Bentley.

Through the vision of SDP’s Gutpela Community Strategy 2025-2030, and the cultivation of strong, long-term partnerships between SDP, KTF, FODE and the Western Provincial Division of Education, thousands of students are grasping an educational lifeline through second-chance FODE pathways. Together, the partnership is creating a pipeline of empowered students equipped to pursue employment or education opportunities, building a brighter future for Western Province.