Photo: Meet the 42-year-old woman in JSS 1

A 42-year-old woman, Mrs. Juliana Godwin, despite all
odds, has returned to school and is now a JSSI student of
Junior Secondary School, Gosa, Abuja.
Mrs. Godwin, is from Riyom Local Government Area of
Plateau State and had dropped out of school in 1983 due to
lack of funds. According to her,
“I had to leave for Jos in 1983, since my father could
no longer sponsor my education to secondary school
because he had no money. While I was with my
cousin, I enrolled in a tailoring shop to learn dress
making. I completed it within a year and  six months.
In 2003, I was able to save some money from water
hawking. I started pepper and tomato business with
N1,000 from the savings. I also went into corn
roasting business, but my husband stopped me from
the business in 2007,” she told Vanguard.
In 2008, she decided to go into vocational training with a
non-governmental organisation called Refocusing Nigerian
Talents Organisation, RENITO, where she was trained in
soap (liquid, medicated and bar), pomade and disinfectants
production.

“Now I can produce and sell the products I was
trained on, and I started with N1,500. I came to
realise that the business was lucrative and helpful to
me and my family. I decided to make savings towards
going back to school after I dropped out in 1983. My
husband was against my decision and quarrelled
seriously with me. But I didn’t give up on my decision.
In 2013, I went on to enrol at Junior Secondary
School, Gosa, Airport Road, Abuja, where I started in
JSS I F. I was able to raise N10, 000 to pay for
admission expenses."
“Why I decided to start from JSSI was because I had
never in my life stepped into the four walls of a
secondary school. I told myself I will start from JSS I,
as it will help me to have the foundation of secondary
school education and to understand what I would be
taught. My principal was surprised and asked me
whether I could cope with secondary school education
as an adult and a married woman. He and the staff
also encouraged me to continue since I had made up
my mind. But my husband continued making trouble
to stop me”.

“I am the oldest person in the class of 80 students. I
participate in every school activity, and I am happy
with that. Even when I come late to school, the
teachers do punish me just like other students, and I
have no problem with that, but I do behave myself as
an adult. I have seen great changes in my life, and I
am coping seriously. My aim is to study marketing in
the university after I would have completed my senior
secondary education”, she added.
Learning never stops....