Ethiopian woman gives birth and sits exams 30 minutes later

A woman in Ethiopia has taken her exams in a hospital bed just 30 minutes after giving birth.

Almaz Derese, 21, who is from Metu in western Ethiopia, had hoped to sit the tests before her baby was born, but the secondary school exams were postponed because of Ramadan.

She went into labour on Monday shortly before the first exam was due to start.

Ms Derese said studying while pregnant was not a problem and she did not want to wait until next year to graduate.

She took her English, Amharic and maths secondary school exams in hospital on Monday and will sit her remaining tests at the exam centre over the next two days.

“Because I was rushing to sit the exam, my labour wasn’t difficult at all,” Ms Almaz told the BBC.

Her husband, Tadese Tulu, said he had to persuade the school to allow her to take the exams at the hospital.

In Ethiopa, it is common for girls to drop out of secondary school and return later on to complete their studies.

Ms Almaz now wants to take a two-year course that will prepare her for university.

She said she was pleased with how the exams went and her baby son is doing well.