05 Feb 2026

Mannathoko Junior Secondary School learners marched in unison from their classrooms to the kgotla, their voices carrying the weight of a hard-won triumph to celebrate a remarkable turnaround in the 2025 Junior Certificate Examinations that has seen the school leapfrog from the middle of the pack to the very top of the Serowe District.
Just a year ago, the mood at Mannathoko JSS was sombre, with a pass rate of 46 per cent. However, in the 2025 junior certificate examinations, the school defied expectations by soaring to a 56 per cent pass rate.
This leap did not just make them the best in the district, but placed them eighth in the Central Region and 25th out of 220 schools nationwide.
For a school facing uphill battles, these numbers are more than just statistics, they represent a reclaimed future for the 107 learners now eligible for senior secondary education.
Addressing a triumphant crowd at the packed Mannathoko kgotla, the deputy school head, Mr Gagosepe Olebile credited the community, speaking of the ‘three-legged pot’, a delicate balance between teachers, parents and learners.
“Despite the obstacles, our teachers remained committed,” Mr Olebile said, but also thanked parents for their consistent presence at PTA meetings.
He school head, Mr Ontiretse Lekoba echoed the same sentiment, saying the results were a measurable improvement born from disciplined learners and engaged stakeholders.
What makes Mannathoko JSS’s rise truly remarkable is the backdrop against which it occurred. While the results are shining, the school’s infrastructure is not. Mr Lekoba decried the dilapidated state of the school, citing lack of resources, crumbling buildings and persistent plague of vandalism.
Beyond the physical walls, the school has also had to battle social ills. Bullying and substance abuse have cast shadows over the hallways.
Furthermore, Mr Lekoba highlighted a growing crisis in teacher morale. Many educators have remained in the same positions for years without promotion, a stagnation that threatens to dampen the very dedication that produced these results.
Mr Lekoba also noted that the shift away from corporal punishment had placed a burden on teachers to find new ways to maintain discipline.
The story of Mannathoko JSS is one of a ‘diamond in the rough.’ As the victory songs faded at the kgotla, teachers, parents, learners and the community remained hopeful that if Mannathoko JSS can achieve these results under the current conditions, one can only imagine what they might achieve with the support and infrastructure they truly deserve. ENDS