The ManicaPost
Freedom Mutanda Post correspondent—
A famous psychologist is reputed to have said, “tell me what you want your child to be, and I will train her to be one.”The above words resonates well with the new curriculum and Chibuwe High School is moving towards inclusivity in education as shown by the number of activities sprouting at the “oasis in the desert.”
Mr Charles Siyapeya, the Deputy Head, said the school’s e-learning programme is going according to plan.
“We have introduced e-learning. There is an e-library that has material from ECD up to university. Teachers use projectors and slides to deliver lessons. There are 28 computers for A-Level students while 20 are used by the juniors. To show the school’s determination to bring ICT to the learners, we have an ICT and administration officer, Mr Vision Dzikamai Mashava. However, we have a challenge on the teacher-pupil ratio as some of the classes have 60 or more students bringing the ratio to 3:1 at best,’’ he said.
STEMatisation is in vogue in this country. Chibuwe has taken it upon itself to be one of the leading lights in supporting Government policy.
Dakarai Dhliwayo, the senior master said: “We have 40 STEM students this year and we intend to keep on supporting Government programmes. We have highly qualified teachers; next year, we are going to offer Physical Education to Form 1, 3 and 5 students in line with the new curriculum. Music is one of the subjects we may introduce. The former is a departure from the academic oriented system that was there before; it empowers students to be entrepreneurs.’’
Chibuwe High School is 1 511 students strong, which makes it to be one of the biggest schools in Chipinge district.
Mr Makamanzi attributes the surge in enrolment to infrastructural development, a high pass rate at O and A-Levels and a team of dedicated and highly qualified teaching team.
‘‘We have a wide curriculum; we have room to expand the school owing to the good rapport with the village head, Phineas Mutorwa. Additionally, Mr Maposa Needmore and Siyapeya are bona fide residents of Chibuwe,’’ said Makamanzi.
Projects as a way of sustainable development
Sifelani Tonje is the senior master in charge of projects and sustainable development. He says over the past two years, Chibuwe has found ways of surviving in a harsh economic environment through innovative ideas spawned from teachers and ancillary staff alike.
‘‘We have a fish pond where tilapia, bream and trout thrive. Of late, chick layers have come on board resulting in 162 eggs laid every day. Every Saturday, students get an egg each. The garden project saves the school $300 as vegetables and tomatoes all come from it. Melons, millet, onions, sorghum and 1000 banana trees have been planted which are due for harvesting in 2017. There is a symbiotic relationship between the school and the communities as people come to buy vegetables and dried vegetables. Four primary schools are benefiting from our efforts. We practise inter-cropping,’’ said the affable Tonje.
Savings are used to develop the school in form of infrastructural development, procuring new textbooks and computers. The school continues to be innovative as it identifies gaps and opportunities. Against such a background, the school has developed a concept of a class under a tree.
Isaac Newton once said, ‘books at rest, remain at rest.’ Thus, scholars are encouraged to read outside where there is fresh air since Chibuwe is known for its high temperatures. There are all weather benches that were constructed solely for that purpose.
The SDC chairperson, Edmore Mugwazi, attributes the expansion of Chibuwe High School to teamwork among all stakeholders namely the administration, the SDC, student body, parents, community and traditional leadership.
‘‘We are pulling in the same direction. Since the school’s inception in 1979, this growth spurt is the best. We have painted and paved the whole school and built one teacher’s house. In two years we bought a mini-bus and a bus. We have offered work to the vulnerable members of the community and contributed in our small way to the success of ZIM-ASSET,’’ the chairperson said.
Chibuwe High School could be one of the few high schools to have a driving club and recently, the VID went there and supervised a learner drivers’ test. That resonates with the new thrust where children are exposed to many skills because some may decide to take driving as a career; importantly, the laws of Zimbabwe allow a 16 year old to acquire a driver’s licence.
The head, Mr Needmore Maposa, summed up by saying, “as a school, we continue to soar like eagles with the hope that one day, we will be the best school in the country. We have embraced ZIMASSET in its entirety in our curriculum so that sustainable development becomes our middle name. We want the quality of lives of our students to mirror the best in the country. Failure is not an option.’’
Nearly four decades after its inception, Chibuwe High School, is moving towards being a world class modern school.
As an oasis in the desert, let the green show; the school is embarking on acacia planting spree which makes it possible to have a school under trees.
