Botswana: The South Region recently held an Excellence Awards ceremony to recognise staff and stakeholders for their commitment to excellence.
The awards ceremony held under the theme, ‘Positive Mindset: A Quest to Excellence, was officiated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Kanye South, Dr Lemogang Kwape.
The awards categories were sponsored by various stakeholders and included the Director’s Award, the Director’s Special Award, Pinnacle Performers, Star Player, True Gem, Best Lifelong Learning Educator, Best Performing School at 100% pass rate, Most Improved School, Cleanest School and the Best PTA.
Speaking during the ceremony, Dr Kwape said the ceremony was very relevant and carried a lot of significance since the root of true achievement lies in the will to become the best one can become.
He said the greatest discovery one can make is that nothing is impossible under the sun; the difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength nor a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will. He urged all teachers to enhance learning by working smart, which would in itself transform the performance of learners.
In his remarks, Director of Regional Operations-South, Acro News Maseko revealed that due to various logistical and financial challenges, he and his team were sceptical about hosting the awards, but the desire to win, to motivate staff, and have confidence in stakeholders and sponsors prevailed. He added that sponsors and donors demonstrated how public-private partnerships can work together for the greater good.
For his part, the Botswana Sector of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) Chairperson for the Mokaloba branch, Tlhakoyapele Motiki, emphasised that providing rewards and recognition is effective as it ensures that teachers are motivated and productive. He said when teachers are recognised and appreciated, this leads to a more cohesive working environment, better team dynamics and improved overall performance.