This archive report was first published on 25 September 2019.
On June 8, 2019, Almaz Derese, a 21-year-old from the western town of Metu in Ethiopia, sat for her school exams in a hospital bed, just 30 minutes after giving birth. Her determination and hard work paid off as she achieved a mark of 75 per cent, or a grade 3, in the national grade 10 exams.
According to the BBC, Almaz was happy with her results, which will allow her to continue her secondary school education for another two years before applying for university. Her dream is to become an engineer one day.
Almaz's achievement is all the more remarkable given that she was in pain while writing the papers and had been tired while pregnant. However, she had continued to study during her pregnancy, using the time to prepare for her exams.
“During my pregnancy, I was not comfortable sleeping at night, so I used the time to study,” Almaz told the BBC.
Her husband, Tadese Tulu, a carpenter, was equally proud of her achievement, saying, “He wants to see me educated.” Almaz's teachers and classmates had also encouraged her to pursue her education.
When Almaz went into labor, her husband dropped her off at the hospital and then rushed off to persuade the authorities to allow her to take the exams there. As a result, he missed the birth and heard his baby's first cries over the phone.
Their baby boy, Yididiya, who is now three months old, is doing well as his mother prepares herself to go back to her studies next month.
