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JOHN Cowie Primary School – which is famed for its brilliant Grade Seven results – has added another feather on its cap when it took delivery of a brand new Q bus that is set to enhance its shrewd academic successes and status among former Group A schools. The 65-seater bus which was presented to the school recently was assembled at Quest Mutare.
The arrival of the bus has become a symbol status for the school which started in 1912 with two makeshift rooms for learning purposes, but has stood the taste of time and grown to become one of the most revered and sought after primary school.
School head, Mr Garikai Nyawo, said John Cowie was known for quality and the arrival of the bus, coupled with various infrastructural developments would ensure the sustenance of the high standards that have become synonymous with the school.
Mr Nyawo said in 2013 and 2014, John Cowie attained 100 percent Grade Seven pass rate with 24 and 23 four pointers, adding that such an achievement was symptomatic of high quality teaching, leadership and parenting processes at the school.
Mr Nyawo said for the past two years, John Cowie experienced a positive metamorphosis in terms of infrastructure development and assets acquisition with the notable successes being the completion of a four-classroom block, construction of another 1×4 block which is at window level, purchase of school Isuzu KB truck, establishment of a computer lab with 37 computers, 100KVA generator, fencing of entire school yard and repainting and repair of existing classrooms.
“John Cowie is a school that is involved in many educational and sporting trips and it had become very costly for the school to hire transport each time we want to go out. It is against that background that we chose to bite the bullet and purchased our own bus from Quest Mutare at the cost of $145 000.
There were many buses and financing options available, including being financed by the bank, but looking at the cost, we opted to self-finance, and will make three instalments of $51 000 per term.
“We want to thank the parents for their resounding support because this term 70 percent had paid their fees on the opening day. We are only able to innovate and implement because of their support.
Our vision is to make John Cowie a global competitor in the provision of education,” said Mr Nyawo. Mr Nyawo said the school needs 16 classrooms, an overhaul of its sporting facilities, a new administration block, a 2 000-seater school hall and additional dormitories. John Cowie has an enrolment of 1 300 pupils. “I am sure you will understand the importance of giving children a good grounding – total academic transformation.
We espouse as a school to teach our pupils in the best way possible and help them to develop into strong and thoroughly informed future adults.
But we can obviously not do this without meeting these needs, we need overall organisational development –good infrastructure, sate-of-the-art equipment, improve teaching methods and ultimately the results,” said Mr Nyawo.
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