22 Apr 2018

Phatshimo Junior Secondary School head, Ms Lekala Legwaila said that discipline has potential to change and shape someone’s future. 

Addressing attendants at the school’s 2017 Junior Certificate Examination (JCE) victory party on Friday, Ms Legwaila attributed the school’s good performance to discipline among her students. She explained that Phatsimo Junior Secondary School obtained position 10 nationally with a 61.4 per cent pass rate. She said due to this her school was counted among the top 10 performing schools in the country. She also noted that the school emerged number three in the SELEBO region after Meepong and Makhubu junior schools

Ms Legwaila said instilling discipline among the students had been one of the core values of her school that has resulted in the school obtaining good grades in the past five years. She said the good results had been a source of pride for her, the school teachers, staff, students and parents in general.

She went on to state that due to having well-disciplined students, the school managed to record only one student pregnancy case in the past four years. She said they recorded two cases of smoking while no cases of alcohol and drug abuse had been recorded which spoke volume of what Phatsimo JSS was all about.

However, Ms Legwaila said the school had been experiencing challenges such as shortage of books and other resources. She also expressed concern that some parents did not attend Parents Teachers Association meetings. Further she said some parents did not take time to collect their children’s reports. She explained that during collection of reports parents met teachers and got a briefing on their children’s performance and how to help the children improve their performance.

“Students lack firm support from parents,” she said adding that parents played a significant role in children’s education and performance in school.

 When delivering a key note address Ms Winnie Kamudyariwa representing Mmabatho Foundation said as a Non-Governmental Organization their mission was to identify different needs and support initiatives in communities that impacted on national development at different levels.

She mentioned that as a foundation they had a direct relationship with national development aspects such as recognising students who exceled academically. She said her organisation’s role was to support government’s strategy of transforming the nation into a knowledgeable society.

She said they intended to capacitate a number of schools with computers and related support programmes to contribute to academic excellence in schools around the country. She urged students to focus on their studies and live positive lifestyles. She said they must defy challenges they faced such as alcohol and drug abuse, pornography, teenage pregnancy and satanism.

“Remember your knowledge in both positive and negative issues will help you shape your future for the better as long as you apply positive things,’ she said.

The school’s SRC member, Motheo Balosang explained that studying hard, good conduct and commitment to school had resulted in good performance among students which had put Phatsimo JSS among top 10 schools in the country in regard to JCE.

 “Teachers instilled good behavior among students that resulted in good academic performance,” she said. She also urged students to maintain their good behavior and to do their best academically with focus on the future.

The school also acknowledged six best performers at the school being Mooketsi Nyathi, Botlhe Mosweunyane, Oageng Kgosietsile, Laone Malepa, Resego Bailane and Joromia Ngwenya. The Students were each awarded P2000 cheques each and certificates of appreciation while teachers were given certificates of appreciation to continue to motivate students to do their best. ENDS