Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube
VICTORIA Falls’ Chamabondo Primary School is an exceptional learning institution in Matabeleland North Province.
The Victoria Falls City Council-run school’s name is derived from the name of a water body where a type of fish (eel) which is called bondo in Nambya is found in abundance.
Chamabondo means a pool of eels, and educationally, the institution is a pool of knowledge and skills development.
The school was established in 2000 with an enrolment of 386 learners, which has grown to 1 548 to date.
There are 45 teachers at the school.
The school’s vision is to strive to be a beacon provider of quality infant, and junior primary school education for meeting 21st century needs.
Its values are commitment, accountability, integrity, teamwork transparency, honesty, empathy, respectfulness, and its motto is “make a difference with your potential.”
Staff comprises 10 male and 34 females.
The school head is Mr Phathugwalo Masuku whose exceptional work saw him being named a champion head recently.
The school therefore becomes a beacon in the cluster, district and Matabeleland North Province.
Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary Mrs Tumisang Thabela presented Mr Masuku with the champion head certificate at an event held to honour the school together with Mosi-oa-Tunya High School with the Secretary’s Merit Awards for their contribution to education in 2018 and 2017 respectively.
Chamabondo received a plaque that was unveiled by the Permanent Secretary, $1,3 million prize money to be used in the smart classroom development project and certificates.
Mr Masuku said the school strives to provide adequate and meaningful education and contribution to community development.
The Secretary’s Merit Award is a very prestigious Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education prize accorded to excelling schools in each province per annum.
It follows then that those schools should acquit themselves well and meet set standards in terms of fulfilling the school’s mandate.
The performances are measured using efforts made in attaining the ministry’s vision which is “To be the lead provider and facilitator of inclusive, quality education for socio-economic transformation by 2020”.
Chamabondo Primary School was rewarded for progressing in implementing the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) and also attending other pertinent issues in 2018.
The CBC as espoused in the New Curriculum Framework seeks to produce a well-rounded product capable of making meaningful contribution in the economic and other facets of personal and national development, and Chamabondo has done just that.
The school has included visual and performing arts (expressive arts) and its traditional dance group performed at the Unicef 75th anniversary and World Children’s Day celebrations in Victoria Falls on Friday night. Among other subjects, it offers physical education, mass displays, Mathematics, Science, Family and Heritage Studies, Information Communication Technology (ICT), as well as cross-cutting and emerging issues like gender, children’s rights, disaster risk management, financial literacy, sexuality, HIV and Aids, child protection, heritage studies, human rights, collaboration and environmental issues.
Chamabondo is actively involved in agriculture including vegetable production, poultry, piggery, rabbit rearing and environmental management which involves recycling and bio-gas project.
“The school has indicated that it takes environmental issues serious at curricula cross cutting issues level and as a social responsibility mandate.
“The school has a very attractive recycle material products produced gazebo. It is indeed a very educative and attractive innovation,” said Mrs Thabela.
The school is the only primary institution with a biogas digester and recycled summer hut in the province.
The Ozone Defenders, a club of learners that runs the project, is planning on commercialising the project hence is appealing for partnerships.
The Government encourages smart partnerships and Chamabondo is working with various partners like Higherlife Foundation, Econet, Environment Management Agency, Rotary Club of Victoria Falls, Environment Africa, Global Game Changers and others.
The school has been making an effort in achieving some credible national Grade 7 examination results over the years, pass rate rising from 43,7 percent in 2014 to 56 percent in 2018 when it won the Merit Award.
In 2018 the school came tops at a provincial environmental management competition and won a silver medal at the national stage of the competition.
During the same year Chamabondo competed at the National Arts Council quiz competition where they were cluster and district winners and won bronze at the provincial level.
The school has a viable non-formal education programme which makes it a cradle for community development.
These include French language which is facilitated by Alliance Francaise, the Functional Literacy Project on Learner Professional Hunter Guide, School Health Policy is implemented well in conjunction with Ministry of Health and Child Care and progressive sporting programmes.
“Chamabondo, the most important part of primary and secondary education is the infant module.
“For all the efforts, achievements and projections Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education is delighted to award Chamabondo Primary School The 2018 Secretary’s Bell for Matabeleland North in the Primary Schools category. The Prize goes with other accompanying materials and cash,” said Mrs Thabela.
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