The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure Senior Reporter
“I had a passion to win it, and told myself that if I could do it for the first time, nothing could stop me for the second time. I am a winner, and nothing will stop that. The only way to be nothing is to do nothing”.
This was a summation from Prudence Zvikomborero Mamvura, a Form Four girl that conquered and put a virtually unknown Murambinda B Secondary School on the regional map after winning the coveted 2016 SADC Essay Competition in august.
For her efforts Prudence won $US1 500, a smart phone and laptop.
In 2015 she came second and won US$1 000 and a laptop.
The essay topic was Transformation of Natural Resources and Improved Human Capital to Accelerate Industrialisation in SADC Economies.
How did an obscured school that does not even have electricity or internet connectivity spot this girl and horned her skills to the extent of conquering her rivals in SADC?
Her tutor Mr Joseph Kufa said he identified her when she was doing Form Two (2014) and incorporated her in the quiz, debate and public speaking club.
“She is quick witted, articulate and eloquent in her impromptu speech. Started working on her in 2014, and when she first entered the completions and came out second, and I was convinced it can be ours on second attempt.
“The school gave us $10 for research data bundles, which we did on a smart-phone since the school has no electricity or internet. We conceived winning it as a legitimate purpose and set out to accomplish it regardless of the unfavourable circumstances.
‘‘Winning the coveted prize was the centralising point of our thoughts, and we are happy we achieved it,” said Mr Kufa.
Who is Murambinda B Secondary School?
Murambinda B Secondary School was opened in 1988, as an appendage of Murambinda A Primary School. At its inception it had an enrolment of 35 students with one Mr Muchakwa as its first head. The school moved to the current site, which is about five kilometres east of Murambinda Growth Point, in Dambe Village, in 1989. It’s in Ward 14, in Headman Pedzisai Murambinda, under Chief Nyashanu. It’s head is Mr Leonard Usavi.
Vision
To be the leading provider of excellent secondary education through concerted efforts of all stakeholders.
Mission
To provide excellent secondary education which caters for the child’s academic, artistic, sporting and cultural needs.
Core values
Honesty; Teamwork; Integrity; Success; Excellence; Respect; Discipline
Current enrolment
The school has a total of 688 students, of which 347 are boys and 341 are girls against a staff establishment of 28 teachers — 10 males and 18 females. Fees are pegged at $50.
Academic Performance
Murambinda B Secondary’s
Poor background has over the years hindered it from being conferred Advanced level status. At ordinary level, the school has done exceptionally with pass rate fluctuating between 21 and 36 percent over the past five years. In 2011 its pass rate was 21 percent. It rose to 25 percent in 2012, 36 percent in 2013 and fluctuated to 27 percent in 2014 before rising sharply to 35 percent in 2015.
Curriculum
The school offers a narrow with three technical vocational subjects Agriculture, Fashion and Fabrics; Religious Studies, coupled with English, Shona, Geography, Maths, History, Commerce, Building and Integrated Science.
Biology and Physics will be introduced in 2017.
Sports, Arts, Clubs and Culture
The school is consistently churning out iconic personalities that compete at various sporting disciplines at district, provincial and national levels.
It offers sporting disciplines like soccer, net, volley, basket and handball; darts and athletics, among others and a good co-curricular education inclusive of arts, literature novels, poetry and short stories, plays, drama, dance, visual arts and music.
Achievements
The school managed to build:
Five teachers houses;
Six classroom blocks;
One computer and Fashion and Fabrics block
An administration block
A 1×2 classroom block at slab level.
Fence the whole school yard
Construct sporting grounds
Purchase a 29-seater bus
The school’s non-payment of school fees headache
SDC chairperson Mr Oliver Muguta said the school was always in red since parents don’t paying fees. “Some have not even paid a dollar for the past four years, yet they are always drinking. Ungamurova? We have tried every trick, including the intervention of traditional leaders to no avail,” said Mr Muguta.
Needs and Challenges
Two boreholes.
Consistent feeding programme for hungry students.
Electricity and internet.
Junior and senior science laboratories
Computer lab and research centre.
More teachers’ houses.
Vandalism of property by members of the local community.
Retooling of Tech Voc subjects.
More classrooms as classes have up to 70 pupils.
Shortage of land for expansion.
Capital and water to start income generating projects.
Aspirations
To become a high school after completion of the requisite junior and senior laboratories.
To become a boarding school after being granted A level status.
