Fiji National University helps fulfil dream of Tongan national

The Fiji National University (FNU) provides opportunities to individuals, not just in Fiji but in the region, through various courses and easy enrolment benchmarks for students to upskill themselves.

This was acknowledged by an elated young Tongan national, Hepisipa Matekitonga, who graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) with Honours (Lower Second Class) from FNU’s College of Engineering, Science and Technology last week. 

“I started studying at Auckland University, New Zealand in 2015 through a scholarship. Unfortunately, my scholarship got terminated and the courses at FNU were much cheaper so I enrolled here in 2019 with my two years of study also being cross-credited,” Matekitonga highlighted in a release. 

“I waited two years to resume study due to the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the Pacific and the world, and I was lucky to get an attachment at an organisation last year for six-months - a core requirement to graduate,” she added. 

“In my childhood I used to take apart radios and electrical equipment to see how it worked and to also find faults and try repairing them. So, when I finished high school, I was naturally driven to take up electrical engineering as a career choice.” 

“After eight-years of hard work and dedication all this has been worth the wait and I thank FNU for giving me this opportunity to fulfil my dream and my parents and God for always guiding me in the right path,” she added. 

Matekitonga adds that “electrical engineering is a male dominated area and as a female, know that nothing can stop you from dreaming big – just have a lot of patience and commitment”.
 

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