Eighteen year old Galaletsang Ketshogile of Selebi-Phikwe Secondary School is the winner of the Debswana 45th anniversary secondary schools essay competition. Galaletsang scooped the prize at the commemoration of the company’s 45 years of existence which was held at the Debswana Corporate Centre in Gaborone on Monday, 23rd June. Galaletsang won herself a laptop computer, a trophy and a signed copy of Botswana’s Diamonds, a book written by Mike Brook, a Debswana Project Manager. Galaletsang’s school was awarded P20 000 as part of the first prize.
Morekolodi Balone of Letlhakane Senior Secondary School got second position and an iPad while Tlamelo Lorraine Makgatle of Moeding College took third position and won a Kindle. Each also received a trophy and a copy of the book, Botswana’s Diamonds.
Reading an excerpt from her essay, Galaletsang said the discovery of diamonds in the past has greatly changed Botswana’s economic landscape from what was one of the poorest nations at independence. She was applauded for her insightful and very well written essay and was awarded a laptop for achieving first position.
Speaking to the various guests and media house representatives that had gathered for the commemoration, Galaletsang thanked Debswana and expressed her joy in taking first place in the competition. Both her parents Mogae and Selinah Ketshogile together with her School Head Abraham Senabye, were present to cheer her on.
Speaking about the competition, the activity coordinator, Mike Brook, said “that it was his honor to be part of this exciting activity which involved the marking of a total of 40 essays received from 20 different Senior Secondary Schools across the length and breadth of Botswana”. He thanked all those who participated and went on to encourage everybody to continue writing and said “Botswana needs more writers and authors. Let’s keep writing and celebrating diamonds”.
The essays were scored by three judges; from Debswana, The Ministry of Education and Skills Development and Charmaine Revaka from the Office of the President who said, “The judging exercise was very difficult, especially when we reached the ten best essays. The essays that stood out were those that gave a human element to Botswana’s diamond story; that had a human touch.”