The Botswana Gazette Wednesday 10 - 16 December 2014
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SCHOOL Education Supplement
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10 -16 December 2014
How best can one be prepared for back to school spending
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ollowing extravagant Christmas shopping and spending is the dreaded month of January. Many barely make it until the end of the month without borrowing here and there for groceries and petrol but in 2015, one needs not go through that embarrassing ordeal again especially if you have children who are about to start school or you yourself are considering going back to school. Preparation for a new school year is a mixture of anticipation and trepidation. Concerns and questions about new uniforms, school supplies, new teacher and/or new school, new expectations, can be stressful and even more so when it comes to the financing aspect. It is wise to set aside a budget for school expenses. Luckily, lists are usually sent out during the last term before the school holidays or can be found on specific school websites so that can be used as a guide for the budget. Have your child help
shop and pre-pack school supplies in his/her backpack. The Back to School shopping can be done alongside the Christmas shopping to avoid rushing in Jan-
Paying part of your child’s tuition in December could also be a smart way of being financially prepared to face the new year come beginning of the term uary. Paying part of your child’s tuition in December could also be a smart way of being financially prepared to face the new year come beginning of the term. If you are considering going back to tertiary school in the new
year for a master’s program or simply a new course you might have to consider spending less in December. Depending on which institution you will be enrolling at and the type of course, for some institutions such as Damelin, one may pay part of the course fee in installments to avoid paying huge amounts all at once in January or February. Another way to be financially prepared could be to use your end of year 13th cheque or bonus cash to eliminate debts if you have any so you start the year on a clean slate. Slowly cut our etra expenses. No matter how well you plan, going back to school can get expensive so one needs to be able to cut down on extra expenses that add up fast. Try eating out less frequently this December and instead opt to cook in or attend festivities happening in your area were free meals are offered, after all its Christmas.
Dithuto English Medium School “Where Quality Matters Most”
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We pride ourselves with the following: • Computer Lessons • Out door sports • Spacious Classrooms • Door to door transport
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P O Box 301260 Tlokweng, Botswana | Tel: 3910194 | Fax: 3910195 Plot: 3351 Metlhabeng | Email: dithutoschool@outlook.com
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Wednesday 10 - 16 December 2014 The Botswana Gazette
Buying School Uniforms in the new year GOSEGO MOTSUMI
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chool uniforms are compulsory for almost all schools in the country, making them a necessary purchase parents and guardians must make before the beginning of a new school year. It is also wiser to purchase the uniform ahead of time to avoid last minute glitches. The rise in demand for school uniforms is characteristic of the re-opening of schools at the beginning of the school year calendar and the following stores serve as the go to points for purchasing school uniforms; Pep Hailed the biggest single brand retailer in Africa, Pep stores has 67 stores in Botswana situated in different locations countrywide. Apart from the home ware and kids clothing amongst others. Pep stores has been the go to store for school uniform purchas-
es for years. It offers a variety of plain colored uniforms that cater for different schools. The most common colors that most schools use are white, Grey, black and these colors are always available as they are the most sought after. As their slogan reads ‘best prices for everyone’, Pep stores caters for all social classes because the prices are affordable. Jet Even though Jet is a fashion clothing store, they have found it necessary to include school uniforms to cater for their customers who have school children. Just like all the other chain stores it has a school uniform section and the uniforms are quite affordable too. Ackermans Ackermans is also another chain store that supplies school uniform apart from selling kiddies clothing. The store is situated in most urban areas in the country and one of the helping suppli-
ers when it comes to school uniforms. The uniforms are reasonably priced and mostly afforded by the middle class income earners going up. Woolworths Another store found in most
urban areas that also specializes in school uniforms. Even though it is a bit pricey there is variety to cater for different schools. Independent tailors Dressmakers and tailors are another option one can take for
their children’s school uniform purchases. The dressmakers/ tailors are situated in Bontleng, African and Main malls. One can choose to make the uniform from scratch if they cannot find the right uniform elsewhere or purchase the ready made ones as these tailors usually prepare for different schools. Francistown Knitters Francistown Knitters is a privately owned domestic company that began its operations in 1992. Situated in Aerodrome Industrial area in Francistown, the company manufactures industrial wear, school wear and sportswear. The company has been the main supplier of school uniform in the city of Francistown. Even though these outlets are available to purchase school uniforms it is advisable to ask for guidance on school uniform purchases from the school your child will be attending. Some schools are the direct suppliers of the uniform while others recommend certain suppliers for their uniform. Some suppliers even extend their range of products to include socks, ties and shoes to create a one stop school uniform shopping experience. And a selected supplier usually has the capacity to produce the uniforms in bulk.
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Considerations in selecting a school for your child GALALETSANG MOLABI
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tarting school is one of the most important steps in a child’s life as education is a very integral part of every member of society’s life. It is for this reason that as a parent you give great consideration to what school your child will join to set their future on track. Schools are different, offer different learning systems for children and it is essential as a parent to select a school based on not only your child’s needs, but to consider how the decision will affect the family in terms of finance, socialising and time. To get started these are a few aspects that parents can look into before making their final decision. Location, time and distance
This aspect takes into account the family as a whole unit. Take some time to compare the day to day aspects of your child attending school, including school location, school start and end times, and cost,taking into consideration your work schedule and location as well. Considering these key factors as a part of your decision making process is important in choosing a school that meets your family’s needs in an essential, practical way, so that costs such as fuel and time can be managed properly. Class size Studies have shown that younger children learn best with class sizes of 17 or under, but most public schools have far more students, while in private schools the ration of students
per teacher tends to be smaller. Children catch up at different paces, so while one child may be quicker at grasping things, it may take a lot more individual attention for the next. It is important for a parent to know their child’s learning style to gauge whether they will be suited best in a group learning class environment or require specialized one-on-one attention. This is something that a parent can engage the headmaster or teachers prior to selecting a school, or better yet go to the school and observe for yourself how students interact with teachers during class learning sessions. Social and leisure activities Many students participate in social and leisure activities. Depending on the school, different kinds of activities may be offered
Wednesday 10 - 16 December 2014 The Botswana Gazette to meet your needs or interests. Schools tend to have a wider variety of extramural sports leagues, extracurricular activities, and clubs. Your child may be athletic, the crafty type, musically inclined, theatrical or just simply a book worm. Before making a decision on the best school for your child, a parent should consider activities their child likes to engage in at home, and must look into what after class activities are made available for students at the school. For example, Maru-a-Pula school has come to be known as a creative school particularly in regard to drama and theatre, producing students who have gone to pursue successful careers in that industry while Legae Academy’s focus in on academia. Know your child’s creative interests and take that into account. Government vs Private School- the financial trade-off In general, private schools have lower teacher to student ratio, smaller classes, and betterequipped facilities, such as science labs, art studios, and gyms. However the reality is that they may not be an affordable option for some parents. On the other hand, the curriculum of private and public schools in Botswana
do not have much of a difference because all the students work towards achieving a PSLE qualification whether in private or public school. The only variation then is the level of attention your child gets. In this case a parent will have to look at their pocket to make a decision. A trade off that could also be considered is whether to send a child to a private primary school and continue secondary studies in a public school or vise versa. These are options some parents have opted for. To give emphasise to specific schools that offer a wider variety of services, is to mention the appropriately located school in a quite neighbourhood, DITHUTO ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOL, which opened its doors for learners in January 2014. It is located in the Metlhabeng ward in Tlokweng and enrol pupils from Preschool up to Standard 2, aiming to start students from scratch and grow with them and school will progress with the levels throughout the years. It prides itself with offering quality education with highly qualified teachers, spacious classrooms, door to door transport, out-door sports and a fully furnished computer room.
Come, play, learn and grow with us! ADMISSIONS OPEN We offer:-Holistic learning and quality childcare Speech development | Extracurricular activities: piano lessons, computer lessons | Potty training | Kinder Sport | Pre-reading and writing | After school care | Cooking and Baking lessons + 267 3903559 +267 71772911
• •
ADMISSIONS OPEN We offer:-Holistic learning and quality childcare Speech development Extracurricular activities: • piano lessons, computer lessons • Potty training • Kinder Sport • Pre-reading and writing • After school care
+ 267 3903559 +267 71772911
Education Supplement
The Botswana Gazette Wednesday 10 - 16 December 2014
PE7 age T15
Choosing tertiary courses; what to consider KAGO KOMANE
S
ometimes it is easier to decide which tertiary school you want to go to, the challenge at times only lies in what courses you should take. For some people, going through this process is simple because they have always known what they wanted to be or have as a career. For most, however, this can be a difficult road to travel. So what should you take into account before choosing your courses? Your interests First make a list of fields of study that interest you, and come up with a list of courses you would consider studying based on these interests. Then list all the topics that you are most interested in as well as jobs that you think might go with your mentioned topics. This will help you narrow it down to the most interesting of them all. Research Tertiary websites, media and people around you are usually the best sources of information if you want to find out more about your courses. Check online about the courses you are interested in and find out about the career prospects
of your course of interest. Speak to people who are already doing the course you are interested in or those
that are in your interested profession and find out what it is to choose your future career.
Compare course content Take your time to weigh up all the courses you have listed as your
interests and review their course content closely. Go through the course details with the help of Tertiary lectures, other students who have done the courses or even the school website to see which core modules and electives they have to offer before committing yourself to anything. If you like what you find out after this exercise, then there is a good chance that you will be able to enjoy the course you end up deciding on. Quality of the academic facilities It is important to make sure that the academic facilities you will be using for the next few years are in good shape. Go around the school to see for yourself, ask other students and lectures about the facilities you will depend on for your course to see if they are available and in good shape. Attend your open day to ask about laboratories, libraries and IT facilities and check if they are up to standard. Go through the student satisfaction scores for the course that the use students as a rating for the quality of the learning resources if any. If one is not available at the school, make your own little research.
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