Chronicle Editor
Sione Amidu, Gwanda Correspondent
GWANDA High School in Matabeleland South still remains one of the top schools in the province, after posting impressive results yearly.
The school recorded a 94 percent pass rate at A-level, an improvement of last year’s 90,28 percent. It recorded a 41,5 percent pass rate at O-level in the November 2023 Zimsec examinations. Founded in 1973 with an enrolment of 381 pupils, the school has grown to be the largest secondary school in the province with 1 148 pupils, 629 being girls and 519 being boys. The growth of the school has seen it become the only Gwanda urban school with an Advanced Level status since 1996.
Last year the school had an enrolment of 1 211 pupils, 685 females and 526 male students, each class had an average of 50 pupils. The school has 38 teachers, 24 female and 14 male. The school’s best pupil scored 19 points from four subjects in the 2023 Zimsec examinations, while the best performer in the previous year had 22 points, an indication that Gwanda High’s pass rate remains constant.
Gwanda High School is living up to its motto, “Together we can make big things happen”. Out of 83 learners who sat for the November 2023 A-level examinations, 26 students scored 10 points and above, five students had 15 points and above, two students got 14 points, four students had 13 points, six students scored 12 points, four students came out with 11 points while five students managed 10 points.
In Ordinary Level, the school had a total of 190 candidates who passed five or more subjects and had higher distinctions in Biology (13), Ndebele Language (12), Combined Science (10), Geography (9) and History (8).
Speaking on behalf of Gwanda High School headmaster Mr Arthur Maposa, the deputy headmaster Mr Laurence Burusa said the remarkable results were a product of hard work and discipline.
“I am very proud of our students and congratulate those who excelled in their examinations, raising our flag high. We have hard working staff members and they push themselves to the limit to try and assist our students. It’s a day school environment which comes with its own challenges but we have dedicated teachers who work even during weekends without payments for excellent results,” he said.
He said the slight drop of the O-level pass rate was attributed to Covid-19 effects, adding that students were not used to the hot sitting arrangement. However, the school was back to its traditional schedule and looking forward to having excellent results.
“Our pass rate was disturbed by Covid-19 lockdowns and we had introduced hot-sitting. Our learners were not used to that. We have removed hot-sitting and all our students are now coming in the morning and dismissing in the afternoon and they have enough time to read and it allows teachers to be with students for a longer period. Hot-sitting means that our lectures were cut short and we believe it could be one area that affected our pass rate. Coming in the morning also cuts indiscipline among students. Spending more time at school means there is less misbehaviour. Basically, we look forward to better results as the learners will have full-time learning,” said the deputy head.
He also said the school has come up with other strategies which will help in maintaining the pass rate and its status.
“We have implemented other strategies to help improve our pass rate. In subjects in which we feel we are lagging, we usually look for facilitators from other schools and we sometimes send our examination classes to performing schools during the holidays so that they learn from there. Through hard work, discipline and improvisation our school flag has been flying high and we are excelling in the education sector,” he said.
The school has churned out many people of great repute that include South Africa-based businessman Justice Maphosa, former Member of Parliament Madodana Sibanda, former Mayors Knowledge Ndlovu and Jastone Mazhale, medical practitioner Doctor Chimberengwa, lawyers Sharon Phiri, Karen Gundani, Jester Dube, Marry-Gold Ndhlovu. Great athletes have been produced too, the likes of Mkhuphali Masuku (former Amazulu, Highlanders soccer player as well as coach of Caps United, Highlanders, Harare City).
Besides excelling in the educational sector, the school is also into developmental projects which are meant to help those who feel they are not gifted academically. Mr Burusa also said learners should be disciplined for them to produce good results.
“Besides learning, we also have developmental projects like poultry, wood technology and vegetable gardening. Our wood technology department repairs all our furniture, there is no need for us to pay for the repairs elsewhere because it is done here.
“Our textile department also has projects where they make school uniforms and they are sold through the school clerk. All these departments generate income for the school. We have a technical design, metal work and wood technology, we believe that not all of our learners are gifted academically so we thought of empowering them through these technical subjects. Maybe they can venture into them at different polytechnics and colleges that are across the country in future.
“We believe that good results can only come from disciplined learners, when learners are not disciplined then it is very difficult to come up with good results. The guidance and counselling department is helping moulding our learners and fostering a better pass rate at the school,” he said.
Oasis Sibanda (16) was one of the top archievers at O-level and has returned for Advanced Level. She scored 6As, 3Bs and a C. Another returning student Tanaka Lesliegh Machinya scored 6As, 4Bs and a C. He said the school has excellent teachers who are dedicated. This motivated him to return to the school for his Advanced Level.
“Gwanda High is a good school and their teaching techniques are unique. My parents forced me to come to this school when I was in Form One. Here I am today willingly because of its excellence. We have very dedicated staff members. I am what I am today because of them. With this staff, the school will continue excelling in examinations and producing excellent results,” he said.
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