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John Mackenzie School

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John Mackenzie School
Location
Francistown, North-East District

Botswana
Information
School typeDay scholar
MottoThe Best I Can
Established1899 (125 years ago) (1899)
GradesTransition (Standard 0) to A-Levels
Education systemIndependent
LanguageEnglish
AccreditationCambridge International Examinations
Websitejms.ac.bw

John Mackenzie School is a historic private school situated in Francistown, Botswana.

It caters for the education of boys and girls from Transition (Standard 0) to A-Levels in a multi-cultural, interdenominational environment. The school is Francistown's first English-medium education institution for primary and secondary education. A Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) accredited institution, it is highly regarded as the school of choice in Northern Botswana and the country at large, and as a gateway to the best local and international institutions of higher education.[1]

It is named in honour of Scottish missionary John Mackenzie (1835-99), who spent his working life among, and who argued for the rights of, the Tswana people.

History

A photograph of the original school premises in the church hall of what is now St. Patrick's Anglican Church, Francistown.

The school was founded as the Francistown European School in 1899 by Reverend Nelson Fogarty (1871–1933) of the Railway Mission out of his anxiety to start schools in Plumtree, Francistown and Palapye. He envisaged about twelve children at each station, and considered it "terrible to think that there are about 120 children on the railway line growing up without any education whatsoever". His wish for a teacher was realised with the arrival of Mr. Edgar Lloyd from the United Kingdom in 1899. Mr. Lloyd started his school in the church hall, later to become St. Patrick's Anglican Church, on August 16, 1899, with two children. By September 28, the number had increased to twelve.

The school changed its name from Francistown European School to that of John Mackenzie School in 1958 in honour of the first Deputy Commissioner of Bechuanaland, an area north of the then Cape Province and south of the Molopo River. He was a missionary with the London Missionary Society and was largely responsible for Bechuanaland becoming a Protectorate.

John Mackenzie School opened its new Secondary section on 18th January 1994. This section of the school aims to service the north east of Botswana, providing much needed top quality secondary education. John Mackenzie is now able to offer education for its pupils from Pre-Primary right up to “A” Levels.

Houses

The school's present-day house system is named after the rivers that flow through Francistown.

  • Ntshe House (Blue)
  • Shashe House (Yellow)
  • Tati House (Red)

Awards

As a testament to the school's outstanding academic standing, it has received several Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) "Top in the World awards.

  • IGCSE "Top in the World" award for Food and Nutrition, 2010; awarded to Tess Brina
  • IGCSE "Top in the World" award for Mathematics, 2012; awarded to Lebogang Sinvula
  • IGCSE "Top in the World" award for Mathematics, 2013; awarded to Aarnav Ram
  • IGCSE "Top in the World" awards for Environmental Management, 2014; awarded to Leah Pretorius

See also

References

  1. ^ Ngakane, Gale. "Will John MacKenzie move?". Mmegi online. Retrieved 23 October 2014.

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