China-aided school in Botswana excels in national examination

Photo taken on Jan. 9, 2024 shows China-aided Mmopane Primary School in Mmopane, Kweneng District, Botswana. China-aided Mmopane Primary School celebrated its first-ever Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in style on Tuesday, topping Kweneng District in southern Botswana with a pass rate of 98.3 percent. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)

GABORONE, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- China-aided Mmopane Primary School celebrated its first-ever Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in style on Tuesday, topping Kweneng District in southern Botswana with a pass rate of 98.3 percent.

In 2023, 118 students took the exams at the school, and 116 passed the exams, with 46 obtaining grade A, 30 grade B, and 40 grade D.

To celebrate their victory with the community and its officials, the school's teachers and staff drove across Mmopane in a motorcade while dressed in uniforms, demonstrating the close relationship they share.

Gagoitsiwe Marata, the headmistress of Mmopane Primary School, told Xinhua in an interview on Tuesday in Mogoditshane, Kweneng District, that the school's success can be attributed to the moral support and strong staff welfare provided to teachers, which motivates them and makes leadership easy.

She also commanded the Chinese embassy for the annual awards they offer to outstanding students and teachers, which in turn encourages the students to work hard and compete for prizes and other needed maintenance at the school.

The school has set a greater objective of 100 percent for the upcoming exams, and Marata said that in order to achieve it, everyone needs to be on board from the beginning.

Botho Gabotsalwe, a senior teacher, emphasized the significance of cooperation, saying that the support they received from management helped them prevail.

The PSLE results for 2023 have improved slightly in the southern African country. According to data from the Botswana Examination Council, the proportion of candidates receiving credit marks (grade C or higher) grew by 1.3 percent between 2022 and 2023, rising from 70.49 percent in 2022 to 71.79 percent in 2023.

Mmopane Primary School, which opened in 2021, is one of the three primary schools in Botswana built with a grant from the Chinese government, the other two being Kubung Primary School and Serowe Primary School. These China-aided schools feature computer labs, science labs, libraries, dining halls, disability-friendly facilities, and football and basketball fields.

Teachers, staff and members of the community pose for a group photo during a celebration of Mmopane Primary School's excellence, in Mmopane, Kweneng District, Botswana, on Jan. 9, 2024. China-aided Mmopane Primary School celebrated its first-ever Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in style on Tuesday, topping Kweneng District in southern Botswana with a pass rate of 98.3 percent. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)

Gagoitsiwe Marata (Front), the headmistress of Mmopane Primary School, attends a celebration of the school's excellence, in Mogoditshane, Kweneng District, Botswana, on Jan. 9, 2024. China-aided Mmopane Primary School celebrated its first-ever Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in style on Tuesday, topping Kweneng District in southern Botswana with a pass rate of 98.3 percent. (Photo by Tshekiso Tebalo/Xinhua)