11 Sep 2018

Kwena Sereto Junior Secondary School pupils have been urged to draw inspiration from the challenges that befell their predecessors.

Dr Rosinah Gabaitse said by so doing the learners would unlock their greatness.

Speaking at the school’s prize giving ceremony and 30th anniversary celebrations recently, Dr Gabaitse informed the pupils that they could achieve anything they set their minds to as she did 30 years ago in the same school.

In addition, she encouraged them to guard against obstacles such as dating, drugs and alcohol as they could hinder their commitment to education.

“Nelson Mandela said it is only through education that the child of a maid can become a doctor, but for that to happen you need to take your studies serious,” she said.

Dr Gabaitse acknowledged that pupils were facing a lot of challenges, which made it hard for them to focus on school, revealing however that it was not different from what she went through.

She cited that she was raised by a single mother, walked bare foot to school and witnessed the abuse her mother suffered as a maid, but she did not stop dreaming of a better tomorrow at any point.

She said growing up without a father affected her so much that she began questioning worth.

Dr Gabaitse said fortunately, her teachers advised her to focus on her education so that she could put a stop to poverty, adding that students had the power to choose and no circumstance could be an excuse for neglecting their studies.

“You might be impoverished materially, but you are not in terms of power to choose,” she said.

The former pupil of Kwena Sereto pleaded with the current crop of learners to do their assignments on time, pay attention and study for their tests and examinations as it was the only way to assume ownership of their learning and fulfil their responsibilities.

She said students should aim for the top because it was crowded at the bottom as there were a lot of jobless degree holders, advising them to soar to penetrate the global markets and attain survival skills to use even when they were not employed.

Dr Gabaitse said the youth constituted 40 per cent of the global education and they should aspire to have their names mentioned in history as people who used their education to come up with inventions.

She implored them to also gather information about scholarships, revealing that both her masters and Phd were sponsored by America.

On the other hand, she urged parents to nurture children and also encouraged teachers to go an extra mile despite their challenges so that they create lasting legacies that outlive them.

Earlier on when welcoming guests, the school head, Ms Galaletsang Sebele-Moutlwatsi said the school had managed to come up with strategies geared towards empowering and motivating pupils to achieve academic targets.

She said they had come up with a programme called: A tomorrow Woman that is aimed at addressing truancy and teenage pregnancy.

The school head also thanked Kgosi Kgari Sechele III’s initiative of allocating dikgosi to schools to help curb indiscipline.

Kwena Sereto has attained 38 per cent pass rate in 2015 JC exams, 39.8 per cent in 2016 and 35.2 per cent in 2017.

The school awarded prizes for academic excellence from position one to three in each subject, overall best students and sport awards.

In the academic area, position one got P250, while position two got P200 and position three walked away with P150.

In the sport category, the ones who excelled in the various competitions got P150 and a trophy each.

The overall best students received bicycles, courtesy of Dr Dipesalema Joel, who is also a former student.

Other sponsors included Pick ’n Pay, who awarded the best student in Home Economics, Kgalahari Butchery, Sefalana, Classes of 1988, 1989, 1997 and 1999 and others.

The event was graced by among others; Kgosi Kgari Sechele III, headmen of different wards, school heads, poet Mr Moroka Moreri and other dignitaries. ENDS