11 Oct 2018

A three-year-old partnership between Australia’s Oxley High School and Sedie Junior Secondary School in Maun is reported to be producing positive results.

The two schools entered into a partnership through Adopt A School Initiative three years ago focusing on educational and cultural exchange.

Sedie JSS head, Ms Senatla Mokobela, told Batawana leadership during a visit to the main kgotla that they were enjoying fruits of the partnership.

She explained that the idea of creating a partnership was influenced by their former deputy school head, Mr Peter Craig, who had a keen interest in working with African students on a cultural exchange basis.

Ms Mokobela informed the visitors that in Botswana kgosikgolo was in charge of all the villages in the district and was the custodian of culture.

She informed the kgotla that in September, some Sedie JSS staff members accompanied by the chairperson of Adopt A School Initiative visited their Australian counterparts for a month where they learnt about school operations as well as the curriculum.

Ms Mokobela said their wish to include some students in the Australian trip did not materialize due to financial constraints.

She expressed gratitude to Oxley High School for sending the second batch of students on educational and cultural exchange.

The students, she said, learnt how Botswana operated as far as the governance system was concerned and were also exposed to the different cultures in Ngamiland.

An Oxley High School official, Mr Graig, expressed gratitude to the Sedie JSS community for its warm reception.

He also expressed appreciation for their visit to the kgotla noting that they had learnt about its importance in society.

Mr Craig said this year they had brought a team of 26 students adding that the number would increase yearly as they intended to start some projects.

He said the partnership was growing and expressed pleasure that students from both schools were interacting and communicating well. Ends