02 Mar 2020

Matsha Community College has been commended for making a historic come back into the top five best performing schools in the country, in more than a decade.

Assistant Minister for Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Mr Machana Shamukuni said despite being in the list of best performers, they should remain committed to intensify their performance in order to sustain what they had achieved so far.

Speaking at the school’s victory celebration ceremony, Mr Shamukuni said Matsha had for a long time been faced with trying situations, but through various interventions such as the establishment of two unified secondary schools in Tsabong and Letlhakeng, they paid dividends.

He said the two secondary schools relieved Matsha of the student-teacher ratio and assisted with the formation of student positive behavioural code, which had greatly paid dividend as evidenced in the 2019 academic performance results.

The assistant minister noted that government was committed to transforming the economy from a resource-based to a knowledge-based one and to achieve that, he said his ministry was in the process of implementing multiple pathways, guided by Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan (ETSSP).

The strategic plan, he said, would enable the ministry to provide the necessary resources to create conducive learning environments in most institutions.

Meanwhile, Mr Shamukuni said in their quest to improve their academic results, in 2017, the school came up with performance improvement initiatives to change its misfortunes and indeed those initiatives paid dividends, as in 2018, the school made a significant improvement in their results.

The 2018 results, he said, improved by 8.65 per cent from 11.55 to 20.2 per cent and the school was ranked one of the most improved in BGCSE results and it was awarded a certificate and a trophy.

The Chobe legislator further indicated that it was the beginning of good things to happen to the school as in 2019 BGCSE results, the school further improved its results by a massive 18.3 per cent, beating 21 schools nationally to the rank of position four out of 34 schools, scoring 38.53 per cent credit pass.

Moreover, he commended the school that was once engulfed with misfortunes for embarking on transformational strategy, which was geared towards changing the school misfortunes. He said other schools should take note that indiscipline and good academic results were incompatible and encouraged them to put more emphasis on discipline, which had taken Matsha to greater heights.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, Kgosi Basadi Seipone commended the school for the remarkable academic performance despite having gone through many periods of instability. Kgosi Seipone said from 1982 to 1995 the school had a commendable record, but down the line the school fell in turmoil.

However, through the appointment of Mr Tshokologo Dineo, things took a different turn as there were some signs of progress in the academic results, she added.

She said it was through teachers’ teamwork spirit and all other supporting staff as well as parents and the village leadership, who all came to the party to turn the school into the centre of excellence.

Kgosi Seipone urged them to double their efforts to maintain the positive image of the school for more years to come.

She further pleaded with the ministry to upgrade the school infrastructure to create a conducive environment for learners and also address issues that affect teachers such as promotions, accommodation and transfers.

In his remarks regarding the journey to 2019 BGCSE results, Mr Dineo said the journey was not a walk in the park, as the school faced many challenges.

He cited students’ indiscipline that manifested through vandalism of school property, disgruntled teachers who had overstayed in the school for over 17 years without being transferred, dilapidated structures that created unconducive learning environment for both pupils and teachers.

He said upon realising such abnormal situations, they embarked on a transformational agenda that focused on students indiscipline, intensified tracking of departmental performance; individual teachers and pupils performance, rewarding excelling pupils and teachers, periodically reviewing the curriculum grid and ultimately all their initiatives bore  fruits.

Through hard work, he said, they managed to create a positive image to their institution and they were swamped with transfer requests in 2020 from parents in different parts of the country, as many considered their school as the ‘school of choice’.

Meanwhile, Limkokwing University of Creative Technology donated P10 000 and two scholarships worth P350 000, while Botswana Accountancy College donated P20 000, Ba Isago P20 000, Matsha alumni class of 2000 donated P7 000, Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency, P35 000 and Botswana Scouts Association donated 100 solar lamps and certificates of excellence for the 2018 pupils and teachers, among many more donors. ENDS