17 Mar 2013

 Maun based private institution, Premier Secondary School has attributed its sterling performance during the 2012 Junior Certificate Examination (JCE) to discipline.

The acting school head Mr Tresphord Katanga confirmed that students discipline was a key to the school’s academic excellence that has produced the best overall Form 3 students in Botswana during 2011.

Last year, the school’s JCE performance stood at 97.5 per cent, despite the numerous challenges faced by the school such as lack of teaching space, classrooms and stationery.

He said the school was however living its vision to ensure that the youth of Ngami and the surrounding areas continue to enjoy their right to education to fulfill their dreams.

The school, which is being run by a board of trustees, enrolls youth from marginalised communities and those who dropped out due to various social problems such as teenage pregnancy, laziness to perform their school work and peer pressure. They are  given a second chance and an opportunity to continue their education.

He said those who have not performed well at Form 5 were also admitted to upgrade their results so that they could continue to further their education at tertiary institutions.

“We strictly do not allow cell phones and expect all students to follow the school regulations and procedures at all times” noted Mr Katanga. 

He revealed that the education system they used was the main contributor to their sterling performance, saying teachers, parents and students worked as a team, instil discipline and provide motivation, constant guidance and counseling to students to keep them focused on their school work.

Furthermore, he said both students and teachers shared the school’s vision, adding that teachers sacrificed their time, commitment and determination to achieve their goal.

He said the school was an asset to the development of education in Botswana because if the school was not there, all the potential students would be lost.

Over 300 students have graduated from the school since it was established in 1996. Some former students he said are the likes of a prominent lawyer with the Directorate on Public Prosecution and a former Ngamiland District Commissioner, who completed his Form 5 through the night school system in 1996.

Mr Katanga noted that their students were admitted to public schools after they have completed and passed their Form 3 examinations, while those that have done well at Form 5 go straight to tertiary institutions.

He added that 26 of their former Form 3 students were admitted to Shakawe Senior Secondary School this year to complete their Form 5. 

Premier secondary enrolls youth aged 18 to 26 and Mr Katanga revealed that because they did not have adequate space and equipments, they currently do not offer pure science subjects. Financial constraints also limit their development, adding that they only have four teachers. ENDS