10 January 2001 Ray, 13, enjoys advance start on university education

Meet Ray Hidayat, a young Cantabrian with a big future. At the age of 13 and with only two full years of high school behind him, Ray already has three university papers to his name, with A+ passes in all of them! What's more, the Papanui High School pupil, who starts in the fifth form this year, plans to have completed several additional university papers by the time he leaves school.

At school last year Ray did multilevel subjects, including sixth form physics and fifth form accounting, which he says is his new found passion.

Mother Rini Hidayat says Ray was only recently exposed to accounting as a subject and he loved it. He found it much easier than the maths he had already done, which included passes in School Certificate maths, sixth form maths and seventh form calculus.

Rudy and Rini Hidayat, Ray's parents, have been actively involved in planning their son's intellectual development, and they have sought advice from his teachers and the Principal of Papanui High School.

"We have an annual meeting with Ray's teachers to make sure he is doing the subjects he is interested in," says Rini. "If Ray is able to pursue the areas he loves to study then he is highly motivated and we don't have to worry about his learning."

In conjunction with Papanui High School and Lincoln University, Ray and his parents have mapped out his academic plan until 2002. According to the plan, by 2002 he will have completed six School Certificate subjects, six Sixth Form Certificate subjects, six Bursary subjects and six papers at Lincoln University.

To build on the two Lincoln computing papers completed through the University's Regional Education Programme, Ray has just finished and passed a mathematics paper after attending Lincoln University's pre­ Christmas Summer School. He plans to follow these with three finance and accounting papers in November 2001, January 2002 and November 2002.

Attending Lincoln University as a fulltime student is Ray's ambition for 2003, and he wants to complete a degree there majoring in applied computing and accounting.

"Lincoln's Regional Education option  makes university study particularly accessible by giving students the opportunity to gain papers towards a degree, diploma or certificate from where they live and work," says the programme's manager, Dr Lynette Hardie Wills.

The programme utilises specially developed learning resources for self-study, and it supports students through group meetings designed to help all students succeed. All of the papers available through the Regional Education programme are transferable and can be credited to university degrees at other tertiary institutions around New Zealand.

"Lincoln University is keen for bright secondary school students to participate in its Regional Education Programme and it can be utilised in conjunction with secondary school subjects to assist students with their intellectual development while also helping to create smooth academic pathways for these students.

"By giving bright students like Ray the opportunity to participate in first and second year university papers, the Regional Education Programme can enhance the expectations of and opportunities for these students," says Dr Hardie Wills.

Ray's parents are happy for their son to follow his intellectual interests, but they are also keen for him to participate in his many other interests. His extra-curricular activities include swimming, playing the piano, belonging to St Stephen's Presbyterian Youth Group, being a member of a karate club, typing, speed reading, listening to Top 20 music and reading non-fiction books.

"We want to make sure that Ray is able to broaden his interests outside science and maths and develop his social skills," says Rini.

Kate Hickey, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.