Reading data from excel merge cells using vb.net - mysql

Question

I'm new to vb.net and I'm creating thesis project in our school. I want to fetch data from my excel file where cells was merge and it keeps on popping conversion from type 'Range' to type 'String' is not valid. Here's my code that I copied and credits for them:
Try
con.Open()
workbook = app.Workbooks.Open(fileOpener.SelectedPath + "\ahrmt.xlsx")
worksheet = workbook.Worksheets("Sheet1")
curbook = 0
Me.Text = String.Format("{0:F0}%", ((curbook / books) * 100)) + " of records has been imported."
Dim cmd As New MySqlCommand
Dim maxrow As Integer = 9
Dim noRecs, AYear As Integer
Dim semester, course As String
Me.lblWait.Visible = True
'=====================================
Dim str As String
str = worksheet.Range("A6").Text
If str.Contains("FIRST SEMESTER") = True Then
semester = "First Semester"
Else
semester = "Second Semester"
End If
Dim exAY = Regex.Replace(worksheet.Cells(6, 1), "\D", "")
AYear = exAY
Dim AcadY As New System.Text.StringBuilder()
For i As Integer = 0 To exAY.Length - 1
AcadY.Append(exAY(i))
If i Mod 4 = 3 AndAlso i > 0 AndAlso i < exAY.Length - 1 Then
AcadY.Append(" - ")
End If
Next
course = "Associate in Hotel and Restaurant Management Technology"
'=======================================
'--------to get the total rows
For x As Integer = 9 To worksheet.Rows.Count
If worksheet.Cells(x, 2).Value = Nothing Then
Exit For
Else
maxrow += 1
End If
Next
'----------for inserting records
For i As Integer = 9 To worksheet.Rows.Count
If worksheet.Cells(i, 2).Value = Nothing Then
Exit For
Else
Me.ProgressBar1.Visible = True
Me.ProgressBar1.Value += 1
Me.ProgressBar1.Maximum = maxrow - 9
Me.lblImport.Text = String.Format("{0:F0}%", ((ProgressBar1.Value / ProgressBar1.Maximum) * 100))
cmd.Connection = con
cmd.CommandText = "INSERT INTO tblsif(IDNo, Status, FName, MName, LName, Gender, YearLevel, Semester, AcadYear, PresCourse) " & _
"VALUES('" & worksheet.Cells(i, 2).Value & "','" & enrolledStat & "','" & worksheet.Cells(i, 5).Value & "','" & worksheet.Cells(i, 6).Value & "'," & _
"'" & worksheet.Cells(i, 4).Value & "','" & worksheet.Cells(i, 10).Value & "','" & worksheet.Cells(i, 1).Value & "','" & semester & "','" & AcadY & "','" & course.ToString & "')"
cmd.ExecuteNonQuery()
noRecs += 1
Me.lblTotalRec.Text = "Importing " + noRecs.ToString + " records from AHRMT Course."
End If
Next
'workbook.Save()
workbook.Close()
app.Quit()
Catch ex As Exception
MsgBox(ex.Message)
End Try
Me.ProgressBar1.Value = 0
Me.ProgressBar1.Visible = False
Me.lblTotalRec.Text = Nothing
Me.lblImport.Text = Nothing
con.Dispose()
con.Close()
curbook = 1
Me.Text = String.Format("{0:F0}%", ((curbook / books) * 100)) + " of records has been imported."
Hope you can help me.