Palms for Life Fund Botswana (PFLF) recently launched its 2025 Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE) scholarship program, providing 20 students from remote areas with a valuable opportunity to rewrite their BGCSE examinations and enhance their academic prospects.
The nonprofit organisation’s mandate is to support access to education, food, water and sanitation for vulnerable communities.
The selected students coming from different areas including Okavango, Ghanzi, Charleshill, and Northwest District will be enrolled at Dajura Tutorial Academy in Maun to receive comprehensive academic support while also being accommodated at Thuso Rehabilitation Centre also in Maun.
Speaking at the scholarship launch, PFLF Regional Programme Manager, Galefele Maokeng explained that the scholarship is designed to offer young people from marginalized communities a second chance at academic achievement, with the goal of qualifying for government funding or tertiary education opportunities.
He said that their target is 80% and they are confident that the students will reach it. Maokeng revealed that the process of selecting the 20 students was a challenge as they had to pick those who had at least accumulated 28 points in their previous examinations and most students had done so well.
He indicated that with the first batch they sponsored 40 students, some doing their Junior Certificate and others BGCSE levels. However, this year they have only selected BGCSE learners.
He added that they are confident in their partners being Dajura Tutorial Academy and Thuso Rehabilitation Center to provide the best education and comfortable accommodation respectively.
For her part, the North West District Council (NWDC) Chief Social and Development Officer Iteleleng Motsumi urged the learners to embrace the opportunity and turn their fortunes around. She said it is not every day that one gets to receive such an opportunity, further encouraging them to study hard and pass with flying colors.
Dajura Tutorial Academy General Manager for Maun Branch, Nyaladzi Dagwi added that without discipline one cannot go anywhere in life noting that they are working hard each day to instill it in students to ensure that they perform well in their examinations. However, he expressed confidence that students will do exceptionally well without a doubt.
Meanwhile, one of the beneficiaries of the scholarship, Onthusitse Mogolapele from Kuke village expressed his gratitude towards the opportunity given saying that he aims on working hard to achieve good points in his examinations. He is also confident about reaching or surpassing the 80% target. This as he never expected to receive such an opportunity looking at the background of where he comes from and the years he spent at home without hope for a better future after not doing well in his BGCSE in 2021.
