Our Humble Beginnings.
In the 1980s, a national crisis emerged. There was a severe shortage of quality English Medium schools across the country – especially in the capital city. Other than Thornhill and Northside, where else could working class Batswana school their children? Sure, there were government schools, but they only introduced English in Standard 4, which was to the child’s disadvantage. English is the official language of the land, meaning that proficiency was essential to excel in the globalising job market.
Our founder, Violet Hamilton, responded to the crisis with a small school in Mogoditshane. Inspired by her upbringing among the Bangwato, the school took on traditional values to guide teaching and learning: Ngwana mongwe le mongwe ke wa rona rotlhe. Every Child is Yours. Legae Primary was conceived with the sole mission of ensuring that all children – irrespective of creed, colour and clan – are entitled to a quality and affordable English education.
Although the crisis was addressed, it was not resolved. As you might imagine, where would all these children go afterwards? To high school, right? But how? In the 1980s, Maruapula was the only private secondary school in the country, and foreign owned, at that. Government schools presented an option, but there were only so many ‘good’ ones for a growing population, and they lacked the competitive-edge and global outlook that private schools offered. In sum, Botswana needed more schools. Gaborone needed more schools, locally owned and managed. #PushaBW
In 1992, Legae Academy came to life under the leadership of Mrs Hamilton and principalship of Dr Robinson. With just over 50 students, 4 teachers and 3 classes in a dusty Phase 2 compound, we followed in our older sister’s footsteps in the business of moulding tomorrow’s mind.
Looking back, we have grown in leaps and bounds. With over 700 students, 60 teachers and 26 SMART classrooms, we pride ourselves in becoming Botswana’s choice school.
As the Ministry of Education said in 1998, we are “well poised for efficiency and productivity” thanks to our “suitable working” and “conducive learning” environment. Again in 2004, their inspection praised our “good organization structure” that enables us to “deliver [our] objective,” which is nothing short of producing excellence.
There is another crisis that is not all too different from thirty years ago. Although there are more schools, there is less learning happening. Basic literacy and numeracy skills are plummeting. The
World Bank explains this phenomenon as a ‘global teaching crisis’. Botswana is
no exception. The mushrooming of cheap tuition centres operating as ‘home schools’ is a symptom of this crisis. Good quality teaching is in high demand. You wouldn’t consider private schooling if it weren’t so. You wouldn’t inspect UK certified schools like ours.
There is still more to be concerned about. This learning crisis collides with another. The Fourth Industrial Revolution. The world you work in is not the one your child will enter. Today’s jobs will no longer exist tomorrow, as automated digital technology overhauls them. Since English is the lingua-franca of the world, dominating all major industries: research and education, technology, entertainment and business and finance, it has never been more important that your child is equipped with a holistic quality English education that prepares them for this rapidly evolving world economy.
Tomorrow’s workforce needs more than just a certificate. It needs critical thinkers. It needs lifelong learners. It needs YOU to choose wisely.
Will your child have the necessary skills to enter this volatile job market?
Are you investing in the right type of school?
Meeting the needs of tomorrow is the mission of any forward-thinking school. We do our research for your benefit. We know what the data says. Academic success comes from quality teachers. Top in the World learners means Top in the World teachers. We tailor our curriculum to prepare your child for that tomorrow. The question remains…
Will you join us?
(choose us: 加入我们, हमें चुनें, sarudzai isu, tuchagueni, Re a go amogela)