A symbol of brilliance

Michell Zvanyanya, Features Reporter

Mtshabezi High School is an outstanding school which carries  out a carefully planned programme that seeks to promote its success.

Its success story has become a symbol of brilliance in Matabeleland South province as the school’s achievements are par excellence.

It continues to attain the best results in both academics and extracurricular activities thereby asserting its position as one of the best schools in the country.

With an enrolment of over 900 pupils who are mainly boarders, the Brethren-in-Christ Church-run school has proven beyond doubt that it is results -oriented and has the ability to deliver.

Mtshabezi High School headmaster, Mr Morgan Moyo, said although the school is highly acclaimed, a five-year development plan has been implemented in an effort to further improve it.

The development plan has various objectives meant to be achieved by the year 2020.

A close look at the school’s June results reflects significant strides made by the school towards maintaining its crème de la crème status.

This year, Mtshabezi High School registered its pupils for a maximum of six O-Level subjects in June and the results obtained were outstanding. 

The headmaster said 166 pupils registered for the June examinations and 122 O-Level pupils now have full certificates; that is they have acquired five O-Level passes and above in June public examinations.

Nineteen pupils attained five As and above in this year’s June public examinations.

“I’m very happy with the results which continue to exalt the dignity of the school. The results also demonstrate hard work and commitment put by both the pupils and the teachers in school work,” said Mr Moyo.

“In Geography we have have 76 As, 30 As in Accounting, eight As in English Language, in Combined Science we have 16As, nine in Literature in English, 52 in Mathematics, 29 in Economics, in Family and Religious Studies we have 16, and two in History.”

The A-Level June results were not an exception as the school outstandingly excelled at that level as well.

“In the Arts department, we have one pupil with nine points from two subjects, one with eight points from two subjects. In the Commercials department, we have three pupils with 13 points and two with nine points. One of the commercial pupils attained a whopping 14 points,” said Mr Moyo.

The institution has become a sciences powerhouse in the country as it continues to produce good results in science subjects at a time when government has put emphasis on the adoption of STEM subjects, saying they have the potential to turn around the country’s fortunes.

In the June public examinations, two of the A-Level pupils attained a whopping 12 points, another 10 points, three nine points and three others five points.

“At A-Level more than 60 percent of our pupils take up sciences and our pupils continue to do exceptionally well in those science subjects making us the best school,” said Mr Moyo.

The school recorded a 100 percent pass rate in the 2018 November examinations.

The 2018 O-Level pass rate was also impressive with the best performing pupil attaining 12 As.

The school has successfully adopted the new curriculum which measures both academic and practical work.

Mr Moyo said the school had already started incorporating some of the learning methodologies prescribed by the new competence-based curriculum before it came to be.

“Quite a sizeable number of things that are ‘new’ about the curriculum have been there. You talk of sciences; as it is we’re one school in Matabeleland South Province that has been pioneering the teaching of sciences. We have Physics, Chemistry and Biology as stand alone subjects. At A-Level, up to 70 percent of our pupils take up sciences and our results indicate what I’m talking about,” said Mr Moyo.

“When it comes to technical vocational subjects, we already had Food and Nutrition; we had Fashion and Fabrics, Bakery Studies, Building Studies, Computer Operations and Packages. We already had our pupils bringing in iPads and tablets. In all our labs, we’ve put up white boards so that our teachers can be able to use technologies such as projectors.”

Mtshabezi High School has done a lot to promote the use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs).

Mr Moyo said the school had long embraced ICTs and had procured materials to continue supporting that department.

“We bought computers and projectors for all our departments and our pupils are allowed to bring their own laptops as well. We bought a total of 57 computers to enhance ICT learning and all pupils have access to those computers and the internet at the school library. The school also has a computer lab which consists of 50 computers,” he said.

Not only does the school excel in academics but it also outshines other schools in the province and the country at large in extracurricular activities.

In its five-year development plan, the school has erected a multi-purpose pavilion that accommodates more than 800 people.

The pavilion has been built to promote extracurricular activities in the school such as basketball, netball and volleyball.

Mr Moyo spoke highly of pupils who have excelled at different competitions for various disciplines in and out of Zimbabwe. 

“In 2017, the quiz team won the national competitions in the Orate Quiz and represented Zimbabwe in Kenya,” he said

“We were also the provincial choir champions in 2016 and this year the choir has already qualified as the national defending champions. The debate team is also the defending national champion and this shows how the school is excelling in extracurricular activities.”

The Brethren In Christ Church has an inclusive approach to education and has a department for visually impaired pupils being led by a visually impaired teacher. Mr Moyo said many people could not understand this but to him, everyone should be included in education.

“Our education is inclusive. Not only do we have able bodied pupils, we also have a unit for visually handicapped pupils. We feel everybody has to be catered for; even among our members of staff, we have a visually impaired teacher who is highly competent,” he said.

A tour of the school leaves one with no doubt that it has adequate infrastructure in place which helps in the successful running of the institution.

Mtshabezi High School has well-built and well-maintained structures. However, this has not stopped the school from continuing with development.

The headmaster interacts with the teachers on a personal level and sets targets which the teachers must achieve. He believes they are the pillar towards the achievement of both the pupils and the school as a whole, a culture which is not common in many schools.

Mr Moyo and his committed, disciplined and purposeful 48-member team have over the years continued to guide pupils in achieving record breaking results. — @michellzvanyanyan2