28 Jan 2019

Orapa Junior Secondary School has again emerged the country’s best performing school in the Junior Certificate Examination results.

The school retained position one and defended Botswana Examinations Council’ floating trophy by attaining 77.2 per cent pass rate with 21 As, 64 Bs, 84 Cs, 41 Ds, five Es and four ungraded.

In an interview, the school head, Ms Kolobetso Seabe said both teaching and non-teaching staff were committed to success.

Ms Seabe stated that they had a sense of ownership in the results and that made everyone committed and went an extra mile in their work.

“If you have to go beyond working hours you do so. Some even start as early as 630am,” she said.

She also attributed the school’s good performance to teamwork, stating that teachers assisted each other during lessons.

“They teach as a team, each department plan and discuss the syllabus together,” she said.

Pupils performance, she said, was tracked in conjunction with parents through use of a tracking tool.

Ms Seabe said the Parents Teacher Association was supportive, adding that internet at the library enabled pupils to undertake research and the library opened as early as 630am to allow pupils enough time to do research.

Though the school admitted  that the majority of their pupils were from Orapa primary schools which were of English medium standard, the school head emphasised that the caliber of staff at Orapa JSS gave out the positive output.

Ms Seabe appreciated Debswana for providing the school with teachers focused in enrichment and remediation on English, Science and Mathematics subjects.

She stated that they hosted motivational talks for both pupils and staff.

Orapa JSS in the past competed for position one with Nanogang Junior Secondary School in Gaborone but Moepong in Selebi Phikwe has since overtaken Nanogang and has been fighting for the best performing title with Orapa. ENDs