18 May 2025

Former First Lady, Ms Neo Masisi joined the crowds that descended on Diratsame II Junior Secondary School to celebrate students who excelled in the 2024 Junior Certificate Examinations. 

The event, held last Thursday at the school, attracted community elders, parents, and teachers eager to honour the young achievers for their outstanding performance. Ms Masisi emphasised the importance of recognising the government's commitment to enhancing the education sector. 

She noted that this dedication was reflected in the increased allocation of the national budget towards educational development. She encouraged the students to embrace these efforts and remain diligent in their studies, assuring them that their successes would bring pride to the government, their families, and their educators. Ms Masisi stressed the importance of wise financial management, suggesting that the school consider collaborating with financial experts to provide students with lessons on financial literacy. 

The School Head, Ms Grace Badisang expressed heartfelt gratitude to Ms Masisi for her ongoing commitment to rewarding academic excellence at the institution. She recounted how Ms Masisi first engaged with the school during a sponsored walk last year, where she pledged to reward students achieving a merit or an A grade in the JC examination. Ms Badisang announced the rewards for the students: a cash prize of P10,000 for those earning a merit, and P5,000 for each student with an A. 

This year, the school celebrated four female students who achieved an overall A in the JC examination. Three of these outstanding students were admitted to Moshupa Senior Secondary School, while one was posted to Naledi Senior Secondary School. Highlighting the school's progress, Ms Badisang reported an overall school performance of 48.8 per cent this year, marking a significant increase of 9.4 per cent from the previous year. 

Celebrations included a march to the main kgotla to share this achievement with Kgosi Oscar Mosielele, who pledged P3,000 to support the school's academic improvement efforts. One of the award recipients, Tumelo Tlhabiwe, shared that achieving academic excellence necessitated a mindset shift, underscoring that discipline and consistency were vital components for success. ENDS