What types of schools do most expats in your city choose for their children?
Most expatriates choose to send their children to independent schools or international schools instead of public schools. Independent schools are similar to private schools in the United States and United Kingdom and international schools cater mainly to children who are not nationals of the host country.
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What are some examples of these schools?
Good pre-schools include Seven Stars, Payo, Humpty Dumpty and Academy of Toddlers. In Botswana, they do not have prep schools because prep work is done in the pre-schools.

While the high schools are not very highly recommended, two good ones are Maruapula Secondary School and Westwood International Secondary School.
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Is there a lot of competition for spots in local schools?
For local public schools, there is not, however, there is more competition for the independent (private) schools because they only allow a certain number of pupils to be accepted for enrollment each year. However, most local residents send their children to public schools because the independent schools are very costly.
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Are pre-schools also widely available (for children approx. 2 to 5 years old)?
Yes, pre-schools are widely available in Botswana for this age group. As listed above, the popular ones include Seven Stars, Payo, Humpty Dumpty and Academy of Toddlers.
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How are most kids transported to and from school?
Parents generally transport their children to and from school, but some schools do provide school bus transportation. In cases where bus transportation is not provided, parents form car pools with other parents and take turns.
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When does the typical school year start and end?
There are three (3) school terms each year: 

  • January to April
  • May to July
  • August to the beginning of December

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Is there anything else I should know about local schools?
The public schools all follow a uniform, governmentally-prescribed curriculum, while the independent and international schools adhere to a wide variety of educational philosophies.

When students say they have their matric, it means they have passed grade 12. Matric is the word used more often than not for the term grade 12, which is the final year at high school. University acceptance is largely based on the matric.
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IMPORTANT NOTE:
Crown Relocations has made every effort to present accurate information. However, regulations, rates and other variables are subject to change and Crown Relocations cannot accept responsibility for the errors that might result. Should you have any questions or need additional information, please contact your local Crown representative.