Debswana’s Jwaneng Mine recently honoured 91 outstanding learners, teachers and head teachers for academic excellence at the ninth edition of the Diamond Dream Academic Awards.
The event celebrated achievement while highlighting the important role educators play in shaping Botswana’s future.The celebration was not simply about examination results, but about recognising the people and partnerships helping to shape the country’s next chapter.
The awards celebrate learners who attained First and Second Grades in the 2024 and 2025 Primary School Leaving and Junior Certificate examinations, while also recognising educators and schools that contribute to improved learning outcomes. In a country built in no small measure on the transformative power of diamonds, some of the most valuable stones may not always be found beneath the earth. They can be found in classrooms in the form of young learners whose determination, discipline and academic achievement offer a glimpse of Botswana’s future.
For Debswana, the Diamond Dream Academic Awards form part of a broader commitment to creating value beyond mining. Since the programme was launched in 2017, the company has invested more than P7 million in recognising academic excellence and providing educational resources, including stationery and backpacks.
Giving the keynote address, Jwaneng Mine General Manager Goitseone Gadifele described the occasion as more than a celebration of examination results. He said it reflected the transformative power of education and the collective responsibility required to equip Botswana’s young people for the future.
“Education is one of the most meaningful investments we can make in our communities,” Gadifele said.
Reflecting on his own journey growing up in Xhumo Village, near Orapa Mine, Gadifele encouraged learners to believe in their potential, work hard and remain committed to their dreams.
For Debswana, the Diamond Dream Academic Awards form part of a broader commitment to creating value beyond mining. Since the programme was launched in 2017, the company has invested more than P7 million in recognising academic excellence and providing educational resources, including stationery and backpacks.
The programme currently supports 25 primary schools and five junior secondary schools within Jwaneng Mine’s area of influence. Schools achieving quality pass rates of 65 percent and above are also recognised, with rewards supporting the acquisition of resources and consumables to improve learning environments.
Debswana’s education initiatives extend beyond the awards, including support for teacher development, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, as well as infrastructure and community initiatives that support educators and learners.
Deputy Permanent Secretary for Finance in the Ministry of Basic Education and Child Welfare, Olebogeng Moipisi, commended Debswana for sustaining the programme, noting that educational success requires collaboration between government, schools, teachers, parents, communities and the private sector.
As Botswana marks 60 years of independence, the Diamond Dream Academic Awards offer a timely reminder that the country’s greatest resource is its people. Diamonds may have helped finance Botswana’s development, but its next chapter will increasingly be shaped by the knowledge, skills, creativity and resilience of its young people.
In nurturing these “human diamonds”, Debswana is investing in a legacy that extends well beyond mining.
