CANA Primary: Education as a transformational tool, a shared responsibility

Amanda Mlevu, Sunday News Reporter
AT the heart of Pumula East suburb in Bulawayo sits CANA Primary School, whose mandate is to nurture well-rounded pupils.

The school, which recently held its speech and prize giving ceremony under the theme, “Education as a transformational tool, a shared responsibility”, is one of the many schools owned by one of the city’s flagship education institutions, ACT’V Group of Schools.

Speaking at the event, guest of honour Mr Themba Ndwalaza, the school’s co-ordinator at ACT’V Group of Schools said education is a transformational tool and a shared responsibility.

“As such, all stakeholders and partners shared the equal responsibility of ensuring that this institution is retooled with efficient modern education systems to maintain this positive trajectory recorded in our six percent pass-rate shy to reach the optimum of 100 percent pass-rate not only based on quantity but quality education provided to all stakeholders and evident in output and products churned herein,” said Mr Ndwalaza.

He said primary education is the main tool used to shape the future responsibilities and occupations of future citizens and leaders. CANA Primary School headmistress Mrs Siphilile Bango shared a heartfelt speech on how proud she was of the bravery and the hard work that the learners showcased throughout the year.

“The large number of learners who will receive prizes today is a clear testimony that this year our students have done exceptionally well in terms of academic, sports, and cultural achievements,” she said.

The school has won a number of accolades in sporting and cultural activities such as soccer, netball, chess, handball and athletics among other disciplines.

“Academically, the school is proud to have posted good Grade 7 results in the past two years. In 2021, we had 93 percent and 97 percent in 2022. As you can see, our hard work as pupils and teachers speaks for itself. It was impossible for us not to celebrate such a wonderful day as it is evident we are raising leaders of tomorrow,” said Mrs Bango.

The School Development Committee vice chairperson Mr Mactavish Sobukhosi Ngwenya said since the school was founded in 2019, it has developed remarkably.

“Who would have imagined that from an enrolment of 10 learners and five staff members in 2019, four years later the school would boast of a total enrolment of more than 400 learners, 28 staff members and a pass rate of 97 percent? For real, the sky can’t be the limit, we can still catapult the school to unimaginable heights as we have done in less than five years,” said Mr Ngwenya.

He said it was important to be proud of what the school has achieved as they witness the relentless efforts that have earned the school an all-weather multi-discipline sporting court and a fully equipped ICT laboratory.

Minenhle Khumalo, one of the pupils at the school was the overall best among the Grade 6 learners. She walked away with a medal for being the most improved student in chess and the best student in French.