From dusty streets of Magwegwe to corridors of international diplomacy

IF someone had told Joe Tapera Mhishi that one day he would be rubbing shoulders with top diplomats from around the world in the corridors of international diplomacy, the young Mhali Primary School learner would have dismissed them outright.

From the dusty streets of Magwegwe suburb, no one had predicted that Mhishi was destined for greatness on the international stage, leading the country’s relations with the Western world.

Back in 1972, Mhishi was a Grade 2 learner at Mhali Primary School, a relatively newly established school four years before to cater for children in Magwegwe and surrounding areas.

Chronicle caught up with Zimbabwe Ambassador to Australia at his former school, where he was a guest of honour at a prize-giving day ceremony last Friday, where he shared his life story in the early stages of his academic life that has propelled him today to an international career on the diplomatic front.

His story is one of breaking down barriers, perseverance and hard work from humble beginnings to great achievements.

He was appointed Zimbabwe Ambassador to Australia by President Mnangagwa in 2019.

“I started my education here at Mhali Primary School in 1972 and lived not more than a kilometre from the school, so I grew up playing and running in the streets of Magwegwe.

“The school was fairly new after it was opened in 1969 and at that time, there were fewer buildings. I’m so pleased to be back here after so many years to find that the school has developed so much in terms of infrastructure and now enrols so many learners from Magwegwe and other surrounding suburbs,” said Ambassador Mhishi.

“It’s pleasing to note that the school has put so much emphasis on the Heritage-Based 5.0 Education, which encompasses STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and a whole range of extracurricular activities such as sports and drama, among others.”

The Heritage-Based 5.0 Education is the country’s education system that focuses on applying knowledge to solve local problems and drive national development through five pillars, namely teaching, research, community service, innovation, and industrialisation. It encourages students, colleges and universities to create value-added products and services from local resources, shifting from a job-seeking to a job-creating mindset.

“The Heritage education 5.0 was introduced by the Government as a transformative approach to how we equip learners to be fit for purpose after school.

“The school itself had transformed so much compared to back then in the day, when the sole source of information was either the teacher or the books in the library. Today’s learners at Mhali have technology at their disposal that gives them a wide range of tools to search for information.”

Ambassador Mhishi is a member of the Mhali Old Students Association, a group of former students of the school that assists the educational institution in a variety of issues.

“The Mhali Old Students Association endeavours to equip the school with the latest technological equipment that learners can use to further their studies, as well as making sure that the library is equipped with the right books.

“Back then, when I was a learner here, we used to walk several kilometres to visit the library. At times, we were at risk of delinquents harassing us, but I’m glad that learners here at Mhali have access to an internet Cafe where they get all the information that they need under one roof,” said Ambassador Mhish.

He said he is also pleased that the school takes sports seriously, as compared to the days when he was a learner.

“The millennial child has all the necessary tools to quickly adjust. Sports in my days were not so much emphasised on but as I was interacting with the school head, I was happy to learn that sports are a major component of the school’s curriculum.

“I was also impressed that practical subjects such as agriculture are not just limited to growing a few crops, such as vegetables and carrots, here and there, but have expanded to animal breeding and other practical lessons.

“During my time, agriculture was frowned upon because during the holidays we would visit our rural homes where the communal farming system was practiced on marginally productive types of soil, but now the Government has provided proper land where agriculture can thrive,” he said.

The sky is the limit for Mhali Primary School learners.

“My advice to Mhali learners is that they should dream big. The sky is the limit. I ran and played in the same streets that they play on today, and I’m now an Ambassador to Australia, so that can be a lesson to them that anything is possible in life.”

During the prize-giving day ceremony, Ambassador Mhishi had the opportunity to interact with six learners from the school who were awarded bursaries by a local bus company.

Their school fees for next year will be paid for by City Link Coaches.

The top performers who excelled in their respective grades are Ntombikayise Donga, Charles Manyembe, Sharon Zishiri, Luba Mugar, Sizalobuhle Ndlovu and Ruth Matsongoni.

Mrs Ruth Manyembe, mother to young Charles, who came up tops in Grade 2, said she was proud of her son’s achievement.

“I won’t have to worry about school fees for the whole of 2026. I’m proud of my boy for being the overall top performer in Grade 2.

“I’m grateful to the sponsors of the bursaries for showing our kids that hard work pays,” said Mrs Manyembe.

“At City Link Coaches, we are deeply committed to investing in the future of our nation through education and community development.

“By providing this sponsorship, we aim to significantly alleviate the financial burden on these students and their families, while also inspiring these talented young minds to strive for excellence and reach their full potential as positive contributors to society. We are truly honoured to support their educational journey,” said Ms Edith Dube, the City Link Coaches’ Bulawayo Regional Manager.