16 Apr 2018

Member of Parliament for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa has encouraged students to take education seriously to ensure they lead a better life tomorrow.

Mr Nkaigwa said this during a ceremony to award the 2017/18 PSLE top achievers at Tsholofelo Primary School recently, noting that his wish was to see children growing to occupy great and influential positions in the society.

He further told students that their destiny lies within them, adding that they were the ones who could shape their future through education.

“You can make your parents proud if you want by making the name of your families popular, it all starts now, it all starts in the classroom by taking your education seriously, at the end you will reap your desired great results,” he said.

He encouraged students to choose friends who added value to their lives, saying if they did not have a friend who encouraged them to study, they should pull out of the friendship as it was a clear sign that they were not good friends.

Mr Nkaigwa raised a concern about some men who do not want to be part of their children‘s education, saying men as heads of the families should take the lead and the drive to ensure their children have a better education.

“It is our responsibility as men to ensure our children take their education seriously, lack of employment should not discourage us from sending our children for vocational training,” MP Nkaigwa said.

The MP also urged teachers to work hard and produce better results, adding that as legislators they would also ensure teachers’ conditions of employment were bettered.

Presenting the gifts which included P1 000 cash, a gift pack containing goodies to nine students who attained grade A in the 2017 PSLE, Mr Nkaigwa urged the current class to tighten their belt and attain the much needed results.

The relationship between the school and the MP dates back to 2015 with the intention to give students incentives, which would inspire academic excellence.

Mr Nkaigwa said for the past years since taking over as the sponsor for the PSLE Awards, the number of pupils attaining grade A has been increasing, expressing hope that the current class would exceed the past years by bringing in 15 As.

Since inception of the sponsorship, the best performing student, their parents and teacher have been sent on an all expenses paid three-day trip to Kasane.

This year’s star, Gofaone Monageng, her parents and her teacher will also be sent to Kasane for an educational tour, which will include boat cruising, going out to the snake park and Victoria Falls.

For her part, Gofaone said she got encouraged when her elder sibling got the prize last year and she started to believe in herself, choosing friends who impacted her positively.

Zimbabwean national, Tinatsei Mopara surprised many as she got a grade A mark in Setswana subject.

Mr Nkaigwa said for the 2018/19 awards they would also recognise a teacher whose pupils perform better in PSLE and they will be awarded a laptop.

The school head, Ms Regina Matshaba commended Mr Nkaigwa for choosing her school, saying the awards demonstrated some acts of love and compassion, adding that the MP had really encouraged them to work hard to produce better results. Ends