Chronicle Editor
Supplement compiled by Canditar Chapanduka
Gloag High School and David Livingstone Memorial Secondary School, which are run by the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa continue to excel at Ordinary Level while also producing well-rounded pupils.
David Livingstone has seen a significant increase in its pass rate which rose from 92,92 percent in 2021 to 95,37 percent in the 2022 final examinations.
Nyasha Kombora and Bulelani Ngulube were some of the top achievers, each scoring 9As and 3Bs. The majority of the pupils attained good scores across all subjects.
Girls dominated the charts, excelling in subjects that are considered challenging such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Mathematics.
Presbytery of Zimbabwe Educational Trust Schools Co-ordinator Reverend Nhlanganiso Moyo said pupils at Gloag High School performed very well. However, there was a drop in pass rate from 88 percent in 2021 to 68 percent last year.
He said Covid-19 disruptions affected the performance of some pupils.
“I can’t blame the teachers at Gloag High for the pass rate decrease because the teachers are doing excellent work in imparting education equally among all pupils. Their input has been consistent over the years because they believe in maintaining standards. Also, both schools have excellent teachers and almost all teachers in the school teach O-level pupils,” said Rev Moyo.
“We also appreciate the work and support that the parents, as well as the School Development Committee (SDC), provide in helping us deal with the children in order to achieve the best academic results. We have both day scholars and boarders making it with flying colours.”
Rev Moyo said a significant number of the O-level pupils re-joined them for their A-levels.
He said the two schools, David Livingstone Memorial Secondary School and Gloag High School do not have strict selection academic points for pupils enrolling for Form One but the schools consider all pupils seeking placement as long as they still have the space.
“We enrol pupils with flying colours, middle pass grades, and the ones with the worst Grade Seven passes,” he said.
“The schools are guided by mottos that accommodate all pupils regardless of their passes. At David Livingstone, the motto is, “We can do it” and at Gloag High, the motto is “It grows as it goes”. These school mottos are practical and practiced at the schools.
“We enrol all pupils with different potential because we believe in grooming a child to do better at the same time believing in the child’s potential and that they will pull up their socks because we give them education and moral support that would bring a positive mindset in themselves so that they start seeing themselves attaining a better stage academically, in spite of the past grades they once obtained. The pupils strive to excel in their studies so that they can prove themselves, impress their parents and the school as we would have supported them,” said Rev Moyo.
He said the schools believe in every child and are confident that they can change during the learning period and make it academically.
Rev Moyo said when a child is properly guided and supported, they always try to do their best and make it to the end.
“Taking all the pupils at an equal level and having the teachers attending to them according to their level of understanding is part of our evangelism tool because we believe there is potential in every child. We sometimes enrol a child with 54 points and in the end, they leave the school with distinctions.
We have parents who come to the school to say thank you for the wonderful job that we would have carried out,” he said.
Rev Moyo said some pupils specialise in sporting activities and leave the school as strong sports persons.
“Gloag High School has won many awards, especially in soccer. Some pupils are enrolled at the school because of their good sporting background and they end up going places because of their talent in sporting activities,” he said.
Rev Moyo said the last award received by Gloag was for performance in a soccer tournament.
“We offer different sporting activities and when our pupils take them up, it opens different opportunities for them.
“The most critical aspect of our educational delivery at the schools is spiritual nurturing and guidance in Christian living. The school is rooted in Christianity and imparts values and ethos in pupils based on Bible teachings. There are resident chaplains who are ordained ministers and they provide pastoral support to pupils and teachers. This has helped to maintain a manageable level of discipline, which is conducive for good learning.”
Rev Moyo applauded the UPCSA for supporting Christian programmes in the schools.–@NomqheleC
Online Reporter