Africa-Press – Botswana. Involving learners in discussions aimed at improving academic performance is critical, says Member of Parliament for Francistown East, Mr Tiroeaone Ntsima.
Mr Ntsima, who was speaking at the end of the 10-kilometre sponsored walk, which has become an annual feature for Donga Junior Secondary School on Saturday, said pupils’ voices had the potential to bring valuable insights needed to transform educational outcomes.
Minister Ntsima, who is also the Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, had observed that no pupil was given a platform to speak after the sponsored walk.
On the 10-kilometre walk, Minister Ntsima reminded all and sundry of the many benefits, including, among others, keeping the body fit, building networks and keeping the minds, especially of pupils, sharp.
He was happy that during the last three years of engaging in sponsored walks, the school’s academic results had improved drastically.
The legislator commended teachers for their commitment to work and the partnerships that existed between the school and Donga Botswana Defence Force (BDF) camp personnel, who participated in the 10-kilometre walk.
Such partnerships, the minister underscored, were critical bridges that would ensure positive academic results were attained even in future.
Chief Education Officer, Ms Kedisaletse Tshukudu, concurred that other than raising funds for the school, sponsored walks promoted healthy bodies.
She shared Minister Ntsima’s sentiment that improved academic results at Donga Junior Secondary School were a result of existing partnerships between the teachers, parents, and learners.
Active involvement of parents in their children’s education, she stated, helped curb the chameleon mentality and delinquency amongst pupils. Ms Tshukudu called on parents and teachers to foster cooperation with the view to improve and attain even stellar academic results.
School head Mr Kgopotso Mphuthe had, during his welcome remarks, stated that sponsored events have been able to help the school raise funds for pertinent events such as prize giving ceremonies and procuring prizes for top performers that included pupils, teachers, and non-teaching staff.
Ever since raising money to motivate both the learners and staff through proceeds from sponsored walks three years ago, Mr Mphuthe relayed, school results had shot up from a paltry 49.4 per cent in 2023 to 62.8 per cent last year, which catapulted the school to second position in the region and number 11 out of 227 junior secondary schools nationally in the Junior Certificate results.
The idea to raise funds through platforms such as sponsored walks, he said, was therefore in line with this year’s theme: Elevating Success to Greater Heights.
He attributed the success of the initiative to the meaningful partnerships. Mr Mphuthe promised the school would raise the bar even higher to get pole position soon.
For his part, Donga Junior Secondary School PTA Chairperson, Mr Mbako Mfila, commended the political leadership for working closely with the school. Like other speakers, he waxed lyrical about the support given to the school by men and women in uniform from the adjacent Donga BDF Camp. He encouraged learners to leverage the existing harmony and goodwill between teachers, non-teaching staff, and other partners, thereby making the school proud.
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