Islands of academic prosperity

The town-rural divide is glaring. For example, the capital city of Gaborone and Selebi-Phikwe have become islands of academic prosperity surrounded by a sea of academic underachievement. Despite being an old and deep-seated issue, the issue of rural-town divide has not seen any known potent and sustained response aimed at bridging the gap. Less privileged students, bound to the villages by circumstances of poverty and other limiting factors, continue to face a bleak and uncertain future in their academic endeavours when compared with their counterparts in towns.

The pain stemming from disparities between schools in the same locality and between regions is felt sharply at the beginning of an academic year when parents have to select schools for their children. It must be stated that students are automatically guaranteed placements within their geographical areas. However, not all parents accept schools officially allocated to their children.