7 News Belize

Janae Graduates From Primary School
posted (June 25, 2013)
You will remember 11 year-old Janae Matute - whom we featured on this newscast in 2010. She was born with cerebral palsy, and received the biggest malpractice award of a little over 2.6 million dollars from the Supreme Court in November 2010.

But while the medical malpractice findings made headline news – tonight our focus is on a different story about Janae. Now 12 years old, she invited 7news to her standard 6 graduation on Friday in Belmopan – where we captured her incredible accomplishment on camera. Monica Bodden was there.

Monica Bodden reporting
A hush fell over the audience as all eyes turned in the direction of the graduates of the Roaring Creek Nazarene Primary School.

Their entrance not only marked another milestone in their young lives but more importantly it highlighted what may be described as, 'the specialness o childhood'.

That specialness was reflected in their childlike acceptance, love and support for 12 year old Janae Matute- who led her fellow graduates as they proceeded to take up their position.

Georgia Matute - Mother
"Today is Janae's big day, I'm so happy and proud. Janae graduates with honors as you have noticed, she graduated with third place in PSE examination and I can't even express how I feel right now."

For many, little Janae Matute is a unique individual who against all odds successfully completed 8 years of Primary School Education and proudly graduated with honours. She ranked 3rd highest at her school on her Primary School Examination with a percentile of 74 and 3rd highest overall among her peers with an average of 84.7 and she did it all from the confines of her wheelchair.

Georgia Matute
"As a student she has really worked hard for it but while I am so excited, this even brings more excitement to me right now because for the past few days we've been going through a lot of struggles because her grades were questioned continuously as if though she was not capable of getting such a grade and ranking third place overall. I was told on more than one occasion that this was being questioned and being looked into and yesterday at 2o'clock I was asked to be at a meeting and I was told that Janae did not meet the criteria to be in third place. So after I was told that, then I requested the proof for this change and then I was told that she didn't make it and that she was in 5th place in std 6 so I told them to prove it. After going through the grades and report cards and doing the calculations by more than one teacher, they discovered that Janae was indeed the third place student overall and that she not only had 83 as her score/average but she had 84.7 as her average. So right now I give God thanks because the struggle is not about flesh and blood, it's about higher things and so we fight against things that happen in darkness, the wickedness and I give thanks despite all the things that we've been through, today I couldn't even shed a tear, because I cried for days because I could not imagine that after taking my child through nine years because she went through pre-school as well - through 9 years and when we've come to this point you will tell me that my child is not good enough to receive such an award?"

As an honour roll student, Janae was granted with the opportunity of giving the Vote of Thanks address at her graduation.

Janae was born with cerebral palsy - which is damage caused to the motor control centers of her brain- due to a medical malpractice. But her determination to live a normal life was and still is unbreakable.

A few years ago, the Supreme Court handed down the largest medical Malpractice award in Belize and it was an award of 2.5 million dollars for 12 year old Janae Matute and half a million for her mother for pain and suffering. The judgment was later appealed.

Georgia Matute - Mother
"Well in terms of the case, I am still waiting Monica. I understand that it's now at the CCJ so we're still waiting and I'm hoping and praying that we will get some answers very soon because Janae will be 13 this year and she has grown very big, she's heavy and so I really need some help. Right now she's about to go to High School, we need a more accommodating chair for her - I'm hoping and praying for a Motor chair for her so that she can move around the compound more easily. I don't have the money to buy one so I just have to hope and pray that somebody would come out and help us."

So, what is next for 12 year old Janae?

Georgia Matute
"We are preparing for High School and so far she has already been accepted at the Belmopan Comprehensive High School so we're looking forward to working with that community of teachers of that school. As a parent I have always done my best to work along with the schools and the teachers to the best of my ability and I try to respect everybody and give them the respect that they deserve. I'm looking forward to working with these teachers and I'm really excited."

And on her graduation day little Janae shared her favourite Bible verse with the rest of the world.

Janae Matute will be attending Comprehensive High School in Belmopan this September. The doctor who the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court has ruled against, has taken his appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice.

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