Top JCE performer continues sparkling form
Baboki Kayawe | Tuesday February 3, 2015 15:11
Mmegi: At a time when the country is grappling with a declining pass rate, your school continues to record outstanding results and continuity among the Top 5 schools. As school head, what’s your response to being the best performer in the 2014 Junior Certificate Examinations?
JN: We are equally concerned about the drop in the pass rate of our school specially the Merit, A and B and Merit, A, B, C, D categories. Being No. 1 nationally is nothing to be proud about because we have targets that we have set for ourselves to meet and we are not there yet! So we cannot say we have succeeded when we have not reached our targets. These are the targets the school had set; Merit, A and B = 50 percent (actual 47 percent); Merit up to C = 90 percent (actual 79.2 percent) and Merit up to D = 100 percent (actual 97.6 percent).
Mmegi: What do you attribute your success to?
JN: The apparent success is attributed to the following: Specialist teachers in English, Science and Mathematics courtesy of Debswana, Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mine, target setting as well as early start of the day. We encourage our students to be in school by 0630hrs and they comply. We also have coherent senior management and all speak the same language. We also track students’ progress and enjoy the support of parents and many more.
Mmegi: In which subjects have you been experiencing the highest pass rates and the lowest?
JN: All subjects perform well but those more noticeable include English, Moral Education, Art and Home Economics. We are let down by Business Studies, Design & Technology and Setswana.
Mmegi: How many streams do you usually have across all the three levels (form 1, 2 and 3) and what is your annual student population?
JN: We are a 15-stream school, with five classes per level. The students’ population fluctuates, for instance in 2014 we had 168 Form 3 students, 2013 they were 161 and 2015 they are 199.
Mmegi: There is a perception that learners close to urban areas are distracted by urban activities. Does it assist that you are far from urban centres?
JN: Having taught in an urban area before (I was in Tlogatloga from 2003 to 2006), I believe this is a myth. Discipline and target setting are the driving forces. One writer said, ‘The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious’, and Paul Meyern says, ‘Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass’.
Mmegi: The unions are reporting that pass rates are declining because government refuses to adequately remunerate for longer hours since the New Public Service Act came into existence. How do you keep your teachers motivated and eager to out-perform other schools given the prevailing circumstances?
JN: The pass rates in my view have nothing to do with the issue of remuneration. Stephen Covey says, ‘Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly’. We try to engage our shop steward and take him on board on issues of service delivery. We encourage our students and teachers to believe in themselves.
The issue of hours of work has brought animosity between teachers and school heads in some schools and this has stifled productivity. This issue needs to be resolved immediately and restore stability in our schools.
Mmegi: How many teachers are there in your school and what’s the student teacher ratio?
JN: We are 52. In 2014 there were 168 Form 3 students and this year there are 199.
Mmegi: When was the school established and who is the founding school head?
JN: The school was established in 1988, and the first School Head was Mr Kabelo Keakile.