Neo Jasmine Mokgosi
15 September 2008
Despite inclement weather, Maoka Community Junior Secondary School managed to put on a well organised prize giving ceremony on Friday morning.
The prize giving ceremony, intended to reward students who excel in their studies and encourage those lagging behind, was centered on the theme "Hard Work and Commitment: Good Recipe for Success" and included speeches from the guest speaker, the Botswana Housing Corporation Public and Corporate Affairs Manager, Mookodi Modimoosi Seisa, and the acting school head, B. C. Ongadile, as well as poetry, drama, karate demonstrations and traditional dancing performances staged by the students.
For the past three years Maoka has achieved well above the target pass rate of 80 percent that the Ministry of Education and Skills Development has set for all schools.
However the 2007 results showed a 2.5 percent drop to 89.percent from the 2006 92.4 percent pass rate. The 2008's mid-year examination results worryingly lowered the pass rate further with a 13.1percent decline to 76 percent.
In an attempt to curb any further decline in results, the school has adopted the theme "Overcoming Challenges to Achieve Academic Excellence" which intends to overcome setbacks such as shortages of office and classroom space and the high degree of temporary teachers staffing the school, both of which hinder productivity and progress at the school.
The school theme coincides well with this year's commemoration of the Vision 2016 Awareness Month's theme, "Turning Challenges into Opportunities; the Journey Continues".
Seisa commended the school for choosing a theme that matches the country's vision.
"We cannot achieve the goals of Vision 2016 if we have not armed ourselves with this immaculate weapon called education. It is something that once you have acquired nobody can take away from you. It is something that once you possess you can unlock all the doors. It is the key to life," he said.
He added that it is for these reasons that being an educated and informed nation is one of the pillars of Vision 2016.
e informed the gathering that BHC has pledged to supply the school with four computers, two printers as well as air-conditioning, in either the staff room or the computer labs, in due course.
"It is our belief that this gesture will go a long way in alleviating some of the constraints faced by the school and help in improving the learning environment," he said
Among the students who excelled this year was Form 2 student Marang Simone, awarded prizes in Social Studies, Setswana, Moral Education and Physical Education, winning the most prizes at the ceremony. Form 1 student Katlo Gasewagae also did well, scooping prizes in English, Setswana and Design and Technology.
Other students who did well were Ishmael Jaffal, and Tumisang Ntereke, winning two awards each.
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