Student faces uncertain future after failing exam<\/p>\n
Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura<\/p>\n
The smiling face of 18-year-old Natalia Walela changes when asked
\nabout her senior high school final exams.<\/p>\n
Natalia is one of tens of thousands of students nationwide who
\ndid not pass in the new examinations system, which requires
\nstudents to reach a minimum 4.26 grade out of a possible 10 in
\neach of five subjects to graduate. The students must repeat the
\nfailed subjects later in August before they get a pass.<\/p>\n
"I did not expect it. I thought that I would have passed the
\nexams as in general, I always produced good marks in the daily
\ntests," Natalia said on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Natalia only failed one out of her five subjects, economics,
\nwith a mark of 4.00.<\/p>\n
When the exam results were announced, the eldest of three
\nchildren, was staying in her hometown in Kimbim Wamena, Jayapura.
\nShe told her parents that she had completed each exams and was
\nconfident she would get through. However, when she returned to
\nJayapura to see her marks, she was disappointed.<\/p>\n
Natalia's parents are farmers and the student is dead-set on
\npursuing higher education and getting a professional job. Her
\nparents have supported her dream and have enrolled Natalia in a
\nCatholic student dormitory for young women in Jayapura to help
\nher study.<\/p>\n
Sisters at the dormitory guide and encourage their students to
\nstudy harder as well as teaching them religious subjects.<\/p>\n
Each month, Natalia's parents pay enrollment fees of Rp
\n250,000 (US$26) and school fees of Rp 95,000.<\/p>\n
Natalia says the cost of her studies, a lot for a working
\nclass farming family, meant her parents were upset when they
\nfound out she had failed.<\/p>\n
"At first, my father was really mad. But later on he
\nunderstood my situation and encouraged me to study harder in
\norder to pass economics," Natalia said.<\/p>\n
Natalia was also upset. She had imagined herself in a
\nbackpack, jeans and a casual shirt talking with other university
\nstudents at a Jayapura campus this year.<\/p>\n
She is now waiting for Aug. 22 when she can repeat the exam.<\/p>\n
"I will certainly work hard, so I can get through," she said.<\/p>\n
And like many young women, who want to lead independent lives,
\nNatalia has another reason why she wants to go to university.<\/p>\n
"If I fail again in the exam and cannot graduate from senior
\nhigh school, I am afraid that my parents will marry me to a young
\nman they have chosen."<\/p>\n
Most young women in her age in Jayapura had already married
\nand had children, she said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/student-faces-uncertain-future-after-failing-exam-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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