BSB Officiates at Metsimasweu CJSS Prize Giving Ceremony

Last week Friday, Metsimasweu CJSS in Serowe held their prize giving ceremony under the theme, "Stakeholder Involvement: A way of Improving Access to Equity and Quality Education".

Giving welcoming remarks the School Head of Metsimasweu CJSS Mr. Molekodi Oatlhotse said that his school is 12 streams and currently they have an enrollment of 379 with a staff compliment of 34 teachers.

He said that even though the school is faced with some challenges, they have managed to do well in their Junior Certificate examinations and in extra-curricular activities. "One of our students will be representing the country in Pretoria, South Africa for a chess tournament in October this year."Mr. Oatlhotse decried the shortage of facilities as the main obstacle that hinders the school from delivering fully on their mandate.When delivering the key note address the BSB Managing Director Mr. Leatile C. Maine told the students that education is a lifelong process that they have to go through to enhance their future.

Mr. Maine observed that auxiliary staff in a school are an important stakeholder in this process and more often than not they are taken for granted yet they play a critical role in the education of students. He urged the students to take their studies seriously as the employment industry nowadays is very competitive. He advised them that infact formal employment opportunities have become limited and therefore they must develop entrepreneurial skills that will enable them to self-employ.He further cautioned students who would be receiving prizes that they should not relax but to work even harder.

"Those who will not be getting awards today must be motivated by the success of others and work extra harder and not give up," he said.The Botswana Savings Bank Managing Director also appealed to parents to be closely involved in the education of their children as they are also important stakeholders. Mr. Maine urged them to monitor their children especially their academic performance and their social life. "There are many challenges that the students are facing and are exposed to."

He said that in some schools drug dealers have found a market and this is likely to destroy the lives of students. .When giving a motivational brief, one of the former students of Metsimasweu CJSS who has since become a business-woman Mrs. Charity Baaitse, encouraged students to dream big and live it. "Never allow your environment to define your future and do not settle for anything less." Mrs. Baaitse encouraged the students to start dreaming and not to wait for the next day.

Her husband Mr. Shadrack Baaitse also advised students not to be discouraged by their poor family backgrounds but to develop entrepreneurship skills to break poverty chains.In his closing remarks the Chairman of Parents and Teachers Association; Mr. Omphile Kgosi said that the donation by BSB is a source of great motivation and hoped that this marks the beginning of a long term partnership. Mr. Kgosi urged parents not to wait for events like prize giving to reward their children but to do this at home as well.

Botswana Savings Bank presented cheque of P10, 000 to the school head as a donation to help in the school activities.