Online Reporter
Michelle Musandinyoze, Zimpapers Writer
EMSIZINI Secondary School in Kensington on Friday held its annual school speech and prize- giving ceremony to honour the institution’s top achievers, while announcing plans to invest in infrastructural development aimed at enhancing the quality of learning facilities for its students.
The event recognised academic brilliance, talent and dedication demonstrated by students across various disciplines, with the overall pass rate for Ordinary Level examinations remaining above average for the past six years.
Emsizini headmaster, Mr Kholwani Moyo, noted that although the event celebrated exceptional work by Form 1-4 students, it was important to highlight that the majority of students passing five or more subjects are boarders — a trend that has become defined since the launch of the Sustainable and Affordable Boarding programme in 2019.
The school further revealed plans to build a state-of-the-art double-storey girls’ hostel and a clinic to serve both the school and the community, aiming to improve educational experiences for learners.
“Enrolment is on an upward trajectory in the past four years, it has increased from 208 to the current enrolment of 267. The Sustainable and Affordable Boarding currently accommodates 115 students,” he said.
Mr Moyo also highlighted that the number of female students now surpasses that of male learners at the institution, which he said is a testament to the school providing a girl-child-friendly environment.
He further shared that the school has made significant strides in enhancing other aspects of learners’ academic experiences, achieving a 1:1 ratio in all learning areas, thanks to a public-private partnership with an organisation called East Ohio Partners.
Presiding over the event was Reverend Dr Edward Mashero, described by the institution as a renowned leader, educator and advocate for quality education in Zimbabwe.
Addressing the learners, Rev Dr Mashero encouraged them to relentlessly pursue their potential, urging them to set high standards, embrace challenges and continuously seek improvement in building qualities extending beyond academics to all facets of life.
“The pupils of Emsizini are tomorrow’s leaders, thinkers and contributors to society. We should empower these young individuals to realise their potential, innovate and make meaningful impacts in their communities and beyond,” he said.
He also warned learners to avoid drug and substance abuse, calling it a serious issue with far-reaching negative impacts on their lives, schools and communities.
“Drug and substance abuse can lead to decreased concentration, poor attendance, increased dropout rates,” he said.
“It causes serious safety concerns and behavioural issues and hinders your strive for excellence.”
Mr Mashero applauded the school’s willingness to collaborate with corporates, saying it underscores a collective commitment to nurturing talent and promoting excellence.
In an interview, one of the learners, Franklin Nyirenda, who received a gold medal for the Best Student in Commerce, described the achievement as very significant to him as he always wanted to make his mother proud.
“I love Commerce as I also want to open my own business instead of working for someone,” he said.
Another student, Thabo Mandla, runner-up in Business Enterprise Studies, expressed happiness over his award while attributing his success to God for giving him the strength to achieve it.
The event also recognised achievements in other disciplines, including Physical Education and smartness, with Form Four student Keamuhetsi Nyathi receiving the award for being the most smartly dressed.
During the ceremony, pupils were encouraged to uphold Christian values, which play a vital role in their development and education by fostering love, compassion, forgiveness, integrity, honesty, respect and kindness.
