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If I don't pass, I'll be very sad.
I don't know what I'm thinking right now.
ROC Education presents
They don't really treat you like a child.
They teach you to take responsibility.
I really hate people who are intelligent but who pretend to be dumb.
I'd like my mother to visit me. I haven't seen her for 19 years.
Two brothers, two sisters and my mother and father.
They're still in Ghana.
There were soldiers and war and everything was destroyed.
Many problems.
A singer I really admire at the moment is Cliff Richard.
Making yourself understood, so other people understand you.
I feel a bit as if I always come second.
I have had three girlfriends but it never worked out in the end.
In Pakistan, I worked as a gospel singer and a music teacher.
I'm from northern Iraq, from Kurdistan. I worked as a land surveyor.
I'm from Turkey. A hairdresser.
I met my wife during a holiday. -I'm married.
The fundamentalists burnt my house. Then I asked for asylum.
Out of love. I want to choose and so does my wife.
I listen to Bob Marley a lot. I like the song 'Don't Worry'.
I've seen so many psychologists, who tried to turn me inside out.
It got so bad that people started hurting themselves and saying I did it.
Just to get at me. The next day at school, I'd have a chat with them.
Marissa is waiting for the results of her secondary school exam.
Now it's starting to get...
How does it work again? They call you if...
If I've failed my exams.
Last year I failed my secondary school exams.
I cried all day long. I couldn't speak anymore. I was so devastated...
that there was no point in retaking the exams.
It's a very big school. You're just a number.
Reading is okay, but writing...
I went to a school for handicapped children.
I didn't do very well.
Reading is okay, but writing is like a mix of Arabic and Russian to me.
I've talked to other people about this, but they didn't pay any attention to it.
I feel ashamed.
You can't really get around. It's very difficult.
In 1991, Janet arrived all alone... cold and pregnant
What kind of a country is this?
It's so cold here.
I was pregnant but I didn't know who the father was.
...learning Dutch without papers...
If you don't have papers, you can't go to school.
That's not allowed. You can't go to school.
It was very hard for me. Very, very hard.
Evran, Mustafa and Siber know 'a thing or two' about that...
'Woord' and 'word'. Woord means 'word': W-o-o-r-d.
And the other one is w-o-r-d, with one 'o'. That means 'become'.
Articles are difficult for me. For example 'the', 'a', 'an'.
We don't have them. We only use nouns.
Care words. -What are 'care words'?
I have no idea. -You have no idea?
Why is learning Dutch important?
Because I live here.
Not very good. -I can work and speak.
I can communicate with Dutch people. -But it's enough.
If I don't learn... -When you visit a dentist or doctor...
then I can't talk to other people. -Then I don't need to ask for help.
Rick, school and 'plain sailing' don't really go together
I always had difficulties at school. I attended a special primary school.
From the age of three, I very easily became aggressive.
People just left me to it.
People who didn't like me, or who didn't think I was going to get anywhere.
I ended up with the wrong friends.
Then I went to a special secondary school.
I simply didn't like it there.
I was expelled.
Each time I almost have a heart-attack.
Marissa attends 'VAVO', a secondary school safety net
I'm taking the three subjects I failed at ROC VAVO in Flushing.
By my watch it's six o'clock now.
It's a small school, so we all know each other.
Fortunately, I wasn't the only one. Two girlfriends went to ROC VAVO with me.
We felt at home there. -I'm going to call school.
They're not childish. I went to school every day and did my homework.
The teachers there work with you so you pass your exams.
I hope so. -Of course you will.
Rick attends 'SCOOL' practical training with a coach
It's fun. On my first day at school people started talking to me.
I liked that. They didn't just sit in a corner and wonder about me.
We have a lunch room, the school shop, the wash, iron and bike shop.
I heard stories that dangerous people attended this school...
but when I got here, everybody was friendly and they talked to me.
I'm in a small group, but I like that. I have nice classmates.
I looked for a trainee post in a bike shop and that went great.
And I've learned a lot here at school.
I knew nothing about bikes, not even how to mend a tyre.
If it's something I like, I can learn how to do it.
Cees attends a course in reading and writing at 'LétÉ'.
It's not all that easy.
C-e-e-s.
Sometimes K-e-e-s.
Which one do you prefer? -The 'K'.
Sorry Cees, we meant Kees!
Writing the letters.
My hand trembles and writing is pretty hard.
I'm not very good at arithmetic either.
Reading is going fairly well.
But my main concern is writing.
It's definitely useful. I feel more free.
I don't feel so isolated anymore.
Janet attends 'Step2' 6 to 12 months in a training company
I'm very happy with this training. It's important to me.
Here you are. -Thank you.
If I don't succeed, then I will have to find a cleaning job.
I'm in a level 1 training programme.
It's fun. I meet a lot of people and we get to talk.
And we laugh.
Would you like some red cabbage?
I'm happy I'm in school. I've got a residence permit and I can work.
So I'm very happy. -Here's your apple sauce.
Enjoy your meal. -Thanks.
Evran, Siber and Mustafa are integrating along with 550 others.
I'm learning Dutch because I enjoy it.
He's as deaf as a doorpost.
I come here every three days.
I come here all four weekends too. -I can't speak fast or well.
I've been here for five months.
What do you use a telephone for? -To call.
To talk. -Sorry. I can't make it on Wednesdays.
Grammar, phrasing.
I find everything difficult. -Talking to other people correctly.
I don't understand people very well.
You work less than 36 hours, 40 hours.
People are always happy when they pass an exam.
ROC Education The way to your future
You've passed. -I hope so.
Of course. -Fortunately.
Congratulations.
VAVO 196 students, 78-100% pass
It's my dream to organize the biggest events around.
I'm a real organizer. 'You do this, and I do that.'
If I really want something, I go for it. Until I get it.
I can't reach it.
NT2 / naturalization 550 participants, 72% pass
My dream? -To sing gospel songs in Dutch.
A Dutch passport.
I want to be a land surveyor here.
Step2 30 participants, 63% pass
If you learn things, the money will come automatically.
I'd like my mother to come over for a visit.
I want to care for the elderly.
In a home for the elderly.
LétÉ, over 100 participants on a course in reading, writing and arithmetic
Becoming rich.
A nice house with a private pool, and go on a long and far trip.
To America, for example. I'd like that. Be happy.
Marissa Adelina Marcolino da Costa, born on 3 September 1992 in Flushing...
has passed her secondary education exams. I've got it.
What's your mark for economics?
SCOOL, 110 students, 67% pass
I'd love to join the army, being together with other guys.
In a group you help each other out.
I'd try not to get killed, of course.
Education... not for nothing!
I'm so happy.
I worked so hard for it.
Subtitling: Einion.nl