21 Jul 2022

Smiles, laughter and tears filled the hall as the Swaniker family and Selebi Phikwe community bid farewell to their friend, mother, colleague and manager of Mount Pleasant School Ms Edna Swaniker, who died last month in the US.

Family and friends were still reeling from the shock of her sudden death, given the immense contribution to education in Botswana, particularly in Selebi Phikwe, where she served as an English teacher at Selebi Phikwe Senior Secondary School and her own primary school, Mount Pleasant English Medium, opened 29 years ago.  

Former Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe, remembered Ms Swaniker as a hardworking visionary leader who strived for excellent academic performance, hence Mount Pleasant English Medium Primary School was known to be one of the best performing schools regionally and nationally.  

Through Ms Swaniker’s guidance and phenomenal work in education, he said the school always performed well in the Primary School Leaving Examinations, which earned her the Presidential Order of Meritorious Service award from former President, Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama in 2014.

He said Ms Swaniker was a true leader who was inspired by one of the respected men in the Ghanaian history, Mr Kwame Nkurumah, whose vision and bold leadership helped lead Ghana to independence in 1957.

He said he also developed interest in reading Kwame Nkurumah’s biography and learnt a lot from the visionary leader as President Nkurumah was clear in his determination to empower and develop the African people.

Born on September 19, 1943, Ms Swaniker touched many hearts including that of the Ghanaian consul to Botswana, Mr Solomon Opare-Kumi, who also described her as a leader who made things happen without looking back.

“The passing on of Ms Swaniker will remain shocking to all of us because the last time we met there was no sign of death about her.

She looked well and hearty as usual,” he said.

Establishing Mount Pleasant English Medium School, he said, was her philosophy of life and gave the Ghanaian community a face in this country, adding, ‘we felt counted and recognised in Botswana.”

Furthermore, he said Mma Swaniker as she was affectionately called, was ready to use the resource she had to support the Ghanaian activities in Botswana, explaining that on two occasions she welcomed a commission for Namibia to Selebi Phikwe with her own resources.

“She stood for hard work and excellence and did not mince her words on issues of academic excellence,” he said.

Selebi Phikwe Sub-region chief education officer, Mr Tshwarelo Hosia said Ms Swaniker was one of the greatest orators this country had ever produced

“It takes a rare breed and great mind to build a great enterprise. 

The overall health of a school or any organisation depends on the charisma and inspiration of its leadership, hence it is clear that Ms Swaniker did not only provide the resources, but the inspiration,” he said.

He said Ms Swaniker set the bar high, set clear expectations and created a school planet that ensured that everybody involved in her school was doing his or her all to ensure its success.

By building a school, he said, it showed that Ms Swaniker was a visionary leader who knew that Botswana would aspire to build a society that depended less on extracting minerals, but the society that depended more on knowledge skills and technology.

He said she was motivated by the desire to join the struggle against poverty, unemployment and illiteracy.

“She was also courageous because it is not an easy thing to leave the public service and try to venture into the difficult and uncertain terrain of business.

It was a fearless approach to life and was she able to navigate on the challenges.”

Her son, Mr Fred Swaniker said his mother’s philosophy to education had influenced large educational projects across the continent and around the world.

“My mother believed in developing ones talent to the fullest and took a very active role in our education,” Mr Swaniker explained.

“My mother believed in the potential of every child and did her all to unlock that potential,” he said.

She is yet to be buried in Ghana, her homeland. Ends