14 Feb 2021

Every parent’s dream is for their children to lead the pack or top their class. 

Some even live their dreams through their children, envisioning them being in white coats as doctors or flying an airplane. 

To realise such, many parents have come aboard to be a part and parcel of their children’s education and the stories of Katlego Nthusang and Warren Magosi  have proved the effectiveness of parental efforts.

The two Gaborone youngsters have made both their families and the nation proud by obtaining merits in the Junior Certificate examinations.

Given that COVID-19 has brought a whirlwind of change and impacted every facet and sector of the society, including the lives of children, parents and teachers, the education system had to embrace the ‘new normal’ by implementing various measures to lessen the impact of the pandemic.

However, this did not deter 15- years-olds Katlego and Warren, as they were among the 11 pupils in the country who obtained merit.

In an interview, former pupil at Kgale Hill Junior Secondary School (JSS) said he could not contain his elation after realising he had achieved a merit symbol in his /Junior Certificate Exams.

He said he had always been passionate about his studies.

His love for Christ and constant prayer are also the centre of his life and kept him grounded.

Asked about his academic excellence, the soft spoken teenager from Ramotswa described his educational journey as an expedition that was close to his heart as his goal was to excel at every stage.

“Since my primary days, I have always been a goal oriented individual, who is willing to sacrifice valueless pursuits in order to excel in my academics,” he said.

However, Warren said he struggled with Setswana classes, but the transition to a government school helped boost his confidence in the subject.

“My teachers at Kgale Hill really assisted, hence I was able to attain grade A in the subject for my final examination,” he said.

Warren further expressed that his journey to attaining a merit symbol, also had its share of challenges, citing the pandemic as a major hindrance to the education system.

He said during the lock down periods, he used various scholarly online sites to research further in conjunction with the school work that his teachers had allocated.

He also attributed extra-curricular activities such as coding and chess as stress relievers during the exam which relaxed his mind.

Warren’s mother, Ms Warona Magosi who could not help but beam with pride, said her son was always a self-motivated child who did not need a reminder to study.  

Ms Magosi said she experienced different emotions on the day she received the news that the exam results were published, ranging from panic to excitement.

“Suddenly I received a phone call from one of Warren’s teachers informing me that for the first time in Kgale Hill history, had they recorded a Merit,” she explained.

She thanked the tireless staff of Kgale Hill on their exceptional contribution in assisting their students. 

Ms Magosi also explained that both she and her husband played a vital role during the exam process even volunteering to supervise some sessions of ‘Saturday study’.

She mentioned that she did not allow her son to own a cellphone and instead the focus should be on his studies.

She also urged other parents to take an active role in their children’s education especially during the pandemic.

In parting, Warren advised his peers to take their studies seriously and put God in the centre of lives.

On the other hand, Katlego, who afforded her mother the best birthday gift to date by attaining a Merit in her exams, said she had a vision board that she had written for herself as a motivation.

She says it was her dream in life to obtain a Merit for her JC Examinations and put in the work to make her dream a reality.

“I also sought exam past papers from my teachers and drew up a time table, which I followed religiously,” she said.

Katlego, who is also a budding pastry chef, said in between her study sessions, she would create delectable pastry dishes, to ease her mind from the pressures of studying.

She even decided to start selling cakes while waiting to resume her studies.

Katlego also advised her peers to set goals for themselves and draw up study timetables.

“Additionally, self-introspection is very important. 

Anyone can manifest the type of life that they want to live,” she commented.

For her part, Katlego’s mother, Ms Onkemetse Nthusang said her daughter had always been a visionary who loved studying.

Just like Warren’s parents, Ms Nthusang made sure that her daughter received all the support necessary, especially during the lockdown period and it showed in her exceptional grades. ends