Maru-a-Pula: Launching Africa's Leaders

Gaborone, Botswana

2008

Maru-a-Pula is a world-class school rooted in Botswana. Founded in 1972 to serve as a model of non-racial education in southern Africa, Maru-a-Pula is a coed, independent day & boarding secondary school which has gained a reputation as one of Africa's premier academic institutions.

Noted for its progressive and holistic approach to education, Maru-a-Pula offers rigorous academic preparation for the Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level examinations (Forms 1-6 or U.S. Grades 7-12) preparing students for entry to highly selective universities world-wide. Maru-a-Pula's 50-acre campus is located at the heart of Botswana's capital city, Gaborone.

A Tradition of Service

Maru-a-Pula has a rich tradition of caring for the community, featuring a weekly community service programme required of all students at all levels. Students connect the classroom to the real world - whether they are teaching in a village primary school, feeding destitute families in the township of Old Naledi, working with orphans at the SOS Children's Village in Tlokweng or visiting children at Princess Marina Hospital - often learning more powerful lessons than those provided in classroom settings.

In addition, as part of its small effort to serve Botswana's needs, Maru-a-Pula is currently offering full scholarships to 27 orphans and vulnerable children. We aim to offer 60 such scholarships by 2010.

Academic Results

Our consistently outstanding results position us as one of Africa's top schools. Maru-a-Pula's 2007 Cambridge IGCSE results were the best in the school's history. Highlights include:

• Nearly Half (49.5%) of our IGCSE exams earned A*s or As
  
• 19 students earned 8 A*s & As at IGCSE
• 40 students (out of 89 candidates) earned 6 or more A*s & As at IGCSE

Our Students

Based on our 2008 enrolment of 635 students:

• 63% (398) are Batswana (citizens of Botswana) ....... 37% (237) are expatriates
• 80% (506) are day students .................................... 20% (129) are boarders
• Over a third of our Batswana students receive financial assistance
• 37 countries are represented in our student body
• 27 are orphans or vulnerable children
  

• Experienced professionals from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and North America
• 58 full-time academic staff, 30 holding advanced degrees
• A tradition of relaxed and informal student/teacher relationships
• Teachers commit themselves and their students to academic excellence
  

The Arts

• Home of Maitisong, the premier centre for the performing arts in Botswana, attracting thousands to our campus every year
• Site of the highly acclaimed Maitisong Cultural Festival, the nation's largest arts festival
• World-class programmes in the visual and performing arts- drama, music and fine art
• Our marimba band has recorded CDs and toured the USA, Canada and Brazil

Sports

• Facilities include all-weather basketball, tennis, netball and volleyball courts, a 25-metre swimming pool, cricket nets and football, rugby and softball pitches
• National champion teams in basketball (Senior Boys for 14 years running) and cricket
• Several national record holders in swimming
• Physical education programmes designed both to extend and to challenge the top team player, as well as to engage the willing enthusiast

Student Exchanges & Post-Graduate Opportunities

• A notable and growing provision of fully-funded, year-long overseas scholarships for exemplary Form 5 students at prestigious overseas independent schools: Taft (CT), Hotchkiss (CT), Deerfield (MA), The Hill School (PA), Catlin Gabel (OR), Hawken (OH), Roxbury Latin (MA), Emma Willard (NY), Menlo (CA) and Aiglon (Switzerland)
• Short-term exchanges with Brooks School (MA), University School (OH) and Horace Mann (NY) and Downe House in the UK