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What is Maru-a-Pula School?
Maru-a-Pula School (MaP) is a co-educational, independent secondary school in Gaborone, Botswana, offering both day and boarding places. Founded in 1972 as a non-profit trust on 50 acres of government-donated land, it was set up by founding Head Deane Yates on multiracial ideals, with community outreach as a core principle. The school describes its aim as nurturing students committed to helping their communities locally and globally.
Who it serves and how it is organised
The admissions pages divide the school into a Lower School (ages 12–16) and an Upper School (ages 16–19), so it covers the secondary years through to A-level. Beyond academics, the site lists arts (including a marimba group), co-curricular activities, enrichment, a library, boarding, service and sport. The school reports 94.4% A*–A at A level and 824 students in 2020.
What makes it distinctive
- Service and outreach: framed as central rather than optional, including an OVC (orphans and vulnerable children) scholarship and mentorship programme.
- Boarding plus day places: relevant for families in Gaborone and for those further afield in Botswana or across the region.
- A non-profit trust: governance and mission are published on the site, alongside a strategic plan.
A practical next step
If you are considering the school, start with the Admissions Overview and the Lower/Upper School pages to check age fit and entry points, then read "What We Are; What We Are Not" and the Mission, Vision & Values pages to judge whether the ethos matches your child. Boarding families should also review the Boarding section and the Downloads page for forms and documents.
How do I apply for admission to Maru-a-Pula School?
Start with the Admissions section of the official site, Maru-a-Pula School, and follow the route that matches the applicant's age: Lower School (12–16 years) or Upper School (16–19 years). The site presents MaP as a co-educational independent day and boarding secondary school in Gaborone, so families should decide early whether they are applying for day or boarding places and check which entry points are open.
A practical application path
- Choose the entry level. Use the Lower or Upper School page to confirm the correct year group; this matters most for families moving from another curriculum.
- Prepare school records and identification. Expect to supply recent reports or transcripts, proof of age and contact details; the Downloads area may contain forms or checklists.
- Ask about assessments and interviews. Admissions pages usually explain whether applicants sit entrance tests or meet staff; confirm this directly rather than assuming a place follows automatically from submitted documents.
- Clarify boarding and visa needs. For families outside Botswana, boarding availability and any pupil-visa requirements should be settled before committing to a move.
- Confirm deadlines and fees with the school. Contact the admissions office using the phone number and address on the site; published figures should be verified for the current year.
A useful next step is to email or telephone the admissions office with the applicant's age, current school and preferred entry year, then ask which documents and dates apply. That single enquiry will usually reveal whether a place is realistic for the coming term.
What does it cost to attend Maru-a-Pula School as a boarding or day student?
The Maru-a-Pula School website does not publish day or boarding fees, so no reliable cost figure can be given from the supplied information. The site describes MaP as a co-educational, independent day and boarding secondary school in Gaborone, Botswana, but its admissions pages and downloads are where fee information would normally sit.
What to do next
Contact the school directly to request the current fee schedule for day and boarding places, including what each covers (tuition, boarding, meals, activities) and whether payment is termly or annual. The site lists its contact details as Plot 4725 Maruapula Way, Gaborone, Botswana, telephone +267 391 2953.
For a family comparing options, the practical questions are:
- Day vs boarding: ask for both rates separately, plus any compulsory extras such as uniforms, books, trips or exam fees.
- Scholarships and bursaries: the site mentions an OVC scholarship and alumni giving, so ask whether fee assistance exists and how to apply.
- Payment terms: confirm currency, instalment options and any deposit required on acceptance.
As general advice, independent boarding schools typically charge more for boarding than day attendance because board and lodging are included, and published fees often exclude one-off costs. Treat any figure you see elsewhere as unconfirmed until the school provides it in writing.
What A-level and secondary school programs does Maru-a-Pula School offer?
Maru-a-Pula School (MaP) in Gaborone, Botswana, is a co-educational, independent day and boarding secondary school that structures its secondary programme into two stages and offers A-levels at the upper end.
Programme structure
- Lower School (12–16 years): the earlier secondary years, before students move into the sixth-form stage.
- Upper School (16–19 years): the senior stage, where A-level study sits. The school's homepage reports 94.4% of A-level results at A*–A, so the A-level track is clearly a central part of its academic identity.
- Co-curricular and enrichment: the site lists arts (including a marimba programme), sport, a library, boarding, and "SPE" co-curricular and enrichment activities alongside academics.
What this means for different families
A family relocating to Gaborone with a 13-year-old and an 18-year-old could use MaP as a single school for both, with the younger child entering the Lower School and the older one joining the Upper School for A-levels. Boarding makes it viable for families based outside the capital or outside Botswana. The service and outreach emphasis — community outreach was a founding principle, and the site references service work and an OVC scholarship programme — suits students who want volunteering and leadership to count alongside exam results.
The trade-off is that the published detail on individual A-level subjects and Lower School curriculum is thin on the homepage; the admissions pages and downloadable documents are where subject choices and entry requirements are most likely spelled out.
Next step
Check the Admissions Overview and the Lower School and Upper School pages at Maru-a-Pula School for subject offerings, entry ages and application steps, and use the Downloads section for prospectuses or forms. If A-level subject combinations matter for a university plan, confirm them directly with admissions before applying.
How can alumni get involved with Maru-a-Pula School through mentorship or giving?
Alumni can get involved in two main ways described on the school site: giving (through the Donate and Giving sections) and mentorship, via the Alumni Mentorship / Speaker Series and the OVC Mentorship Programme. Both are listed under the Alumni area alongside Alumni Stories, an Alumni Update Form and a "Tell us your story!" page, so the school also invites alumni to share news and reconnect.
Giving
The site has a Giving overview and a Donate route, and the school's stated founding principle is community outreach, with an aim of nurturing students committed to helping their communities locally and globally. The OVC Scholarship is listed in the same area, which suggests alumni support is channelled partly into scholarship access. The pages do not publish amounts, targets or payment details, so treat any figures you see elsewhere as unconfirmed and ask the school directly.
Mentorship
Two named routes exist: the Alumni Mentorship / Speaker Series Registration, for alumni willing to mentor or speak, and the OVC Mentorship Programme, which pairs support with the scholarship cohort. A practical distinction: the speaker series suits alumni who can offer occasional career talks or short advice, while the OVC programme implies a longer, more consistent commitment to a student.
Choosing between them
| If you want to… | Start with | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Support access financially | Giving / Donate, OVC Scholarship | Less direct personal contact with students |
| Offer career guidance occasionally | Alumni Mentorship / Speaker Series | Limited continuity with any one student |
| Build a sustained relationship with a student | OVC Mentorship Programme | Requires steadier time and reliability |
| Simply stay connected | Alumni Update Form, Tell us your story! | Visibility, not direct student support |
A useful next step
Decide how much time you can sustain before registering, then use the relevant registration page and confirm expectations with the school by phone on +267 391 2953. If you are comparing schools' alumni programmes more broadly, official sites such as Maru-a-Pula School are the reliable starting point.
What scholarships or financial aid are available for students at Maru-a-Pula School?
Maru-a-Pula's site does not list a general scholarship or financial aid programme for prospective students. The clearest aid-related item on the page is an "OVC Scholarship" listed in the Giving and Alumni sections, alongside an "OVC Mentorship Programme." OVC usually refers to orphans and other vulnerable children, so this appears to be targeted support rather than open, merit-based awards for all applicants. The page does not state eligibility rules, coverage, or how to apply, so treat it as a lead to confirm with the school rather than a full description of available aid.
What families can do next
- Ask admissions directly whether bursaries or scholarships exist beyond the OVC Scholarship, and request the criteria and deadlines in writing. The admissions pages for the Lower School (12–16) and Upper School (16–19) are the natural starting points on Maru-a-Pula School.
- Check the Downloads section on the same site; fee schedules and application forms are often posted there.
- Contact the school using the listed details (Plot 4725 Maruapula Way, Gaborone; +267 391 2953) if the website does not answer aid questions.
A realistic scenario
A family in Gaborone considering the day option, or a family abroad weighing boarding, should ask three questions before applying: does aid cover tuition only or also boarding and activities; is it renewed each year and on what conditions; and what documentation is required. Since MaP is an independent, fee-charging school, aid decisions are likely made case by case, so early contact with admissions matters more than waiting for a published form.
For comparison of aid norms at similar independent schools in the region, official sites such as Thuto or other Botswana independent schools can show how bursary policies are typically described, but confirm everything with MaP itself.
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