Africa-Press – Botswana. Bikwe community has been commended for playing a significant role in the excellent results produced by their village’s satellite primary school.
Bikwe Satellite School attained 100 per cent pass in the Primary School Leaving Examinations last year.
Giving a keynote address during the school’s victory celebrations on Friday, First Lady Ms Neo Masisi said the success was a result of collaboration between the community and government.
Ms Masisi said the tireless effort from the community led to Bikwe Satellite School being established in 2017. Children from the village had been attending primary school at Manyana.
“I want to commend the community of Bikwe. The persistence, unity and togetherness you have displayed towards the education of your children is evident through this success we are seeing today,” she said.
She said that spirit of self-help was in accordance with aspirations of the Mindset Change Campaign recently launched by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Ms Masisi further commended the teachers for their sterling efforts, despite the challenge of lack of infrastructure and resources faced by the school.
“This achievement shows that satellite schools are indeed having the desired impact in children’s education,” she said.
Addressing the pupils, she implored them to continue working hard, have self-discipline, set goals, avoid alcohol and substance abuse as well as to refrain from early sexual relationships.
Moshupa District Council deputy chairperson and area councilor, Mr Peter Sethibe, explained that Bikwe was established in 1904.
Mr Sethibe said before the satellite school was established in the village, children travelled eight kilometres daily to attend classes in Manyana.
He said the community persistently asked for construction of a school and their prayers were answered when their former Member of Parliament and current President Dr Masisi, successfully engaged the ministry of education over the issue.
He further said the director of education in the Southern region Mr Acronews Maseko played a pivotal role in preparations for the school.
He said the school was then established and used caravans set up in the Methodist church yard. He said later on three rooms were built in the village development committee yard with contributions from the community to serve as classrooms. The school has now been allocated a plot.
“It is our desire to see our village one day having a fully-fledged primary school,” he said.
Narrating the history of the school, former coordinator and teacher at the school, Ms Keletso Motlalenkwe said the school started with 76 pupils but the number later went down to 26 after some pupils transferred to other villages.
She said the school started with only pre-school up to standard three pupils, while a higher standard was added as pupils progressed every year.
“There were three members of staff. We worked under the supervision of the head teacher of Manyana Primary School. We got all the services from Manyana,””she said.
Ms Motlalenkwe said things were not easy because the school lacked some resources.
She said it was through hard work and dedication from teachers and pupils that the school attained five As, three Bs and four Cs in PSLE last year.
“I am proud of these pupils because they were the first batch of standard sevens from Bikwe Satellite School. They have made history,” she said.
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