23 Apr 2024

Shashe River Senior Secondary School recently hosted a prestigious gala dinner to celebrate the achievements of their top three students, who excelled in the 2023 Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) examinations.

The event, which was attended by parents, teachers and dignitaries, was a fitting tribute to these talented young scholars, who had surpassed expectations and emerged as shining examples of academic excellence.

They are Ms Tsaone Kooletile (17), from Maape village in the Tswapong area, Mr Obakeng Sekga (18) from Serowe and Mr Lefika Robson (18) from Matobo. Ms Kooletile obtained 48 points with 6A* and 4A, Mr Sekga attained 48 points with 6A*s, 1A and 2Bs while Mr Robson attained 48 points with 6A*’s, 2As and 2Cs respectively.

Ms Kooletile, beaming with pride, spoke about the secret behind her extraordinary success. She explained that from the first day she stepped into Shashe River School, she was determined to work hard and give it her all and was grateful to both her teachers and parents for their support and guidance.

“My success story, which I would not refer to it as just a story, is a never-ending journey that started the first day I entered Share River School gates,” said Ms Kooletile.

She said being successful was the desire of anyone residing in this planet, be it a child, youth or old aged. “It is our inbuilt desire to be successful and proceed forward consistently towards more massive successes,” she said, adding that her zeal for success had always been the reason she strived hard to achieve academic excellence.

Ms Kooletile’s dream of becoming a medical doctor fuelled her academic inspiration. “I knew that the journey to medical school requires unparalleled hard work and discipline.

That is why I made it my mission to excel in every subject, giving it my absolute best,” she added.

Ms Kooletile advised other students that success does not come on a silver platter but it is something that a person works hard for hence the reason she had to give her school work first priority. She noted that she ignored a lot of things that could not help her in her studies, such as social media and loitering around but rather spent most of her time studying.

“I had a very strict study timetable and I made sure I follow it at all times and I sacrificed socialising just to study. It was not easy but worth the price”, she said. She also highlighted that she got a lot of support from her family who offered her advice and also made sure she was prepared and ready to face her examinations.

She said she does not come from a well off family but from a middle class family that is very supportive and she will do all it takes to make them proud. “When I started Form

Four, my father told me to focus as I was at a stage where I have to define my future and my previous junior school results did not matter and those words kept me going,” she said proudly.

For Mr Sekga, achieving such an outstanding result was a matter of changing his mindset and taking full advantage of the resources available at his disposal. “I realised that I needed to shift my perspective and adopt a more disciplined approach to my studies.

So I started utilising the school library on a daily basis, immersing myself in various topics and delving deeper into my studies,” said Mr Sekga, who obtained an ‘A’ pass at junior secondary level.

He said this allowed him to build a strong foundation of knowledge and better grasp complex concepts and “ultimately, it was this determination and thirst for learning that led to his success.

“I decided to take my school work more personal this time and from then on, I had to change my mindset and start seeing things differently and started to study at the school library.
“I started consulting with other students and teachers regarding things that I did not understand, and yes, it was not all easy but I had to try and hope for the best”, he added.

Mr Sekga said having a positive attitude towards oneself and keeping oneself motivated is one of the best ways to improve performance. “When you are motivated to attain your goals, it is likely that you will remain focused throughout the journey, which will help one learn better,” he said.

He also said ensuring that notes are well written and organised is a skill that is essential when it comes to studying. Mr Sekga further indicated that he gained motivation from reading and listening to different motivational speakers, which allowed him to stay on track and strive towards success at all times.

He said the school played a very significant role in his success coupled with his parents relocating from Tonota during his final year.

He had to convince his parents to leave him behind as a boarding student and the results are celebrated today.

Also, he said, after relocating from Tonota, his parents frequently visited him to give him motivation and there was no way he could let them down.

Mr Sekga said the school provided them with study pamphlets that they used as reference when studying and this made learning much easier.

He highlighted that he had his own personal timetable that he used to balance his studies, though sometimes he had to adjust it to fit into the examination.

He said using past examination papers was also an advantage to him as he was able to practice and familiarise himself with the examination setup and find common areas that examiners focus on.

He noted that success goes hand in hand with character, stating that good morals make up the end product, which is success.

On the other hand, Mr Sekga said peer pressure could be a motivating factor when used well as he was able to gain strength and motivation to study from his friends. “If I was to give all my A*’s to someone else it would be my study mates; they worked so hard.

Though they did not qualify for Top 10, they still deserve the prize of victory”, he added with a smile. He ended his interview by saying, “you have to believe in a dream that no one sees; work hard, dress up, show up, and never give up. Through Christ all things are possible.”

For Mr Robson, the motivation to excel in his studies was rooted in a deep desire to give back to his impoverished community.

A philanthropist at heart, Mr Robson knew that by pursuing his academic goals and achieving success, he could make a tangible difference in the lives of those around him.

“Growing up in a community that depends on government handouts taught me the value of hard work and compassion.

I want to use my education to uplift my community and show them that with dedication and commitment, coupled with perseverance, anything is possible,” he said.

He said his academic success was not just about him, but about giving hope to the people in his community who may feel like the odds are against them.

“By showing them that anything is possible through hard work and determination, I hope to inspire others to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact in the world,” he said.

Mr Robson, who did not perform as expected in his junior certificate examinations, said that did not demoralise him but came as a wakeup call for to improve his grades.

“I was not stressed because I did not get the grades I was expecting.

I felt like I still had a chance in senior school to improve”, Mr Robson said with a confident voice. He said the school helped them a lot with resources they needed for studies.

He further said the school also provided extended study groups, which allowed him to connect with other students.

According to Mr Robson, the greatest advantage of studying at Shashe River School was that they had enough time to study as they had extended time in groups.

“Working within a group has allowed me to feel that things are more attainable because I knew I had someone on my team who was performing better than me so I looked up to them for inspiration,” he noted.

Mr Robson said the other secret to passing examinations is to manage time, complete assignments well on time and prepare adequately for examinations.

However, he said to achieve this, it takes a lot of personal development and growth to fully focus on studies and it requires determination.

“I had to believe that I am capable of making it but I never imagined myself as a top achiever because I was always around position 12 in school but the go-getter inside me made it”, he said.

He further added, “The worst thing someone can say is ‘No’. I wouldn’t have what I have now if I didn’t ask for help.”

Mr Robson said he struggled a lot with the Geography and at some point he thought of dropping it but he kept on telling his mind that no road to success is easy.

“I pulled myself up, used past examination papers to study, developed a positive mindset towards the subject and I attained my A* in Geography,” he added.

He advised other learners to look up to students who are at the top academically and noted that one will not go wrong because with confidence, determination and resilience, they will certainly achieve what they want.

“I persevered and kept on stretching myself out of my comfort zone. I did not understand the quote “it always seems impossible until it is done” by Nelson Mandela until now. This is my story.

School head Mr Mpaladzi Majingo hailed the achievements which placed the school at position six nationally and position one regionally in the 2023 BGSCE examinations.

He said hard work pays and added that if dedication is put in place to make sure success attainable, the vision of becoming the best school in the country could become a reality.

Mr Majingo also said the support staff plays a major role in making sure results improve and the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) goes an extra mile in achieving success as it motivates learners to be better versions of themselves. ENDS