Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
MOUNT Melleray Primary School in Nyanga has once again cemented its status as one of Zimbabwe’s top-performing educational institutions after scooping the prestigious Secretary’s Bell Merit Award for 2024.
In an era where holistic and innovative education is key to unlocking the potential of future generations, the Roman Catholic Church-owned Mt Melleray is leading by example.
During the official handover ceremony of the award, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Moses Mhike, commended the Nyanga-based institution for its unwavering commitment to academic excellence and transformative education.
“Mt Melleray Primary School excelled in 2024 through its unwavering commitment to academic excellence, boasting consistent and commendable Grade Seven results. The school has remarkable infrastructural development, with child-friendly classrooms, smart boards, solarised facilities, paved walkways, and a newly constructed staff house,” he said.
Mr Mhike also praised the school’s Home-Grown Feeding Programme, which is supported by a productive nutritional garden and daily community involvement, significantly enhancing pupil attendance and performance.
“Through robust implementation of STEAM education, including a fully functional computer laboratory and active Science and Mathematics clubs, the school cultivated 21st-century skills among its populace. Commercial ventures such as a banana plantation, rabbitry, poultry, apiculture, and field farming, not only promote self-sustenance, but also equip learners with practical entrepreneurial skills in line with the Heritage-Based Curriculum,” added Mr Mhike.
In an interview, the school head, Mr Blessing Ziyachecha, detailed the incredible journey and ongoing transformation of the institution.
“We have many improvements and developments the school has achieved in registering itself among some of the reputable institutions in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Academically, the school has maintained a sterling record.
“For the past five years, Grade Seven results have been 98,60 percent in 2020, 98,46 percent in 2021, 99,2 percent in 2022, 100 percent in 2023 and 98,62 in 2024. The school has continued to produce good results over the years,” said Mr Ziyachecha.
He attributed this success to collaborative efforts from various stakeholders.
“Mt Melleray has consistently produced excellent ZIMSEC results over the years, and has proved to be a force to reckon with in Manicaland Province and the country at large.”
On infrastructure, the school boasts a total of 18 classrooms with child-friendly environments, enhanced by smart and interactive boards.
“The Hearing Impaired classroom and some infant rooms have television sets, while the school hall and all the Grade Seven classrooms now have smart boards. The Resource Unit for Hearing Impaired learners was established in 1992, reinforcing the school’s inclusive philosophy. The institution boasts of varied specialist rooms. However, plans are underway to construct other specialist rooms comprising a gymnasium and PE/ARTS rooms,” Mr Ziyachecha said.
Specialist facilities include two computer laboratories, a school hall, tuckshop, staff room, 12 teachers’ houses, a guardroom, and a culture centre.
The school also accommodates a vibrant learner life with numerous clubs.
“A plethora of clubs are on the ground so that learners continue to engage in different platforms. This has greatly helped in utilisation of learners’ talents and realisation of their potential,” Mr Ziyachecha explained.
The BEM/GEM Club has represented Manicaland Province at national level, with the Hearing Impaired team winning a 3KVA solar system in 2023, and a gold medal, plus a 5KVA solar system in 2024.
The Spelling Bee team has members heading to national competitions, and the Heritage Quiz and Health Club have both achieved national recognition.
“The school is conscious of the girl-child, the disabled and the disadvantaged children. Learners benefit from Government’s Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM),” said Mr Ziyachecha.
Beyond academics, the school’s technical vocational department stands out.
The school has also empowered the local community through agricultural trade.
“Mt Melleray has empowered the local community (parents of the day scholars) through the purchase of their agricultural produce like maize, beans, tomatoes, onions and beef in lieu of fees,” he said.
“Apart from the prescribed school curriculum, the school offers Computer and Agriculture lessons to both staff and learners,” he added.
The home-grown feeding programme, supported by a nutritional garden and daily parental involvement, ensures all day scholars receive hot meals.
“This has improved learners’ school attendance and performance,” said Mr Ziyachecha.
Commercial projects such as banana plantations, horticulture, rabbitry, poultry, field farming, cattle ranching, apiculture, and a goat project are vital to both nutrition and entrepreneurship.
“The intentions are for consumption by all learners in the school and employment creation for the locals. Members of the community have also established their own banana plantations as they are actively involved in these school projects,” he explained.
The school greenhouse, measuring 500 square metres, has raised over US$5 000 for the school, supplying fresh produce and equipping learners with entrepreneurial skills.
“The intention is to maximise profits and expand project by having more greenhouses. We envision a school that is, not only academically strong, but also financially self-reliant, able to sustain and improve its facilities without overly burdening parents,” said Mr Ziyachecha.
He added that the school’s agricultural projects are, not just for income generation, but are deeply embedded in the practical learning philosophy of the Heritage-Based Curriculum.
“Through our agriculture programmes, our learners gain real-world experience. They learn how to plant, harvest, keep financial records, market produce, and engage in sustainable farming. These are lifelong skills that align with national priorities on vocational training and entrepreneurship,” he said.
Plans are already in motion to scale these ventures.
“We want to venture into full-scale field crop production and commercial farming. To achieve this, we are working on improving our irrigation infrastructure and reviving our bakery so that we do, not just teach about food production, but also about processing and adding value. Our intention is to have a closed-loop system where we grow, process, and consume what we produce,” Mr Ziyachecha explained.
Looking to the future, the school’s development blueprint is ambitious and forward-looking.
“We plan to construct more classroom blocks, specialist rooms such as additional computer and science laboratories, and more teachers’ houses. We are also exploring the idea of constructing a bigger dam and procuring modern irrigation equipment to support our farming ventures year-round. Our ultimate dream is to establish modern playgrounds, furnish our school hall with a gallery for events, and start dairy farming,” he said.
He also revealed that the school is determined to strengthen its technological base.
“We are working towards acquiring more computers to improve digital literacy and speed up the implementation of the Heritage-Based Curriculum. We want every child, regardless of background, to have equal access to digital learning,” said Mr Ziyachecha.
To ensure that the school continues to grow in all spheres, staff development and institutional capacitation remain a top priority.
“We are capacitating our personnel because we know that motivated, skilled, and innovative teachers are the backbone of any thriving school. We are conducting in-house training workshops and encouraging staff to pursue further studies. We believe this directly reflects in the learners’ performance and overall school improvement,” he said.
He acknowledged the critical support the school continues to receive from various quarters.
“The impact of Mt Melleray Primary School goes beyond the school gate. As a mission school rooted in faith and community service, it has become a socio-economic pillar in its community. Local parents supply produce, work in the fields, assist with feeding programme logistics, and benefit from knowledge transfer through school-led initiatives. In turn, their children receive not just a solid education, but also nourishment and life preparation in a nurturing environment,” he said.
The Secretary’s Bell Merit Award is therefore not just a trophy or certificate for Mt Melleray Primary School.
It is a testament to decades of vision, discipline, and resilience.
It recognises a school that has evolved with time, embracing innovation without compromising its values, and empowering both learners and their families through inclusive, skills-based learning.
“We are humbled by this recognition. It motivates us to keep doing more — to strive for excellence in every aspect of learning and development. Our goal is to raise learners who are confident, creative, and ready to contribute meaningfully to society. Without doubt, it is our onerous duty to ensure that our young people are heavily armed to face the future with confidence, creativity, resilience and adaptation capacities,” said Mr Ziyachecha.
Mt Melleray Mission was founded by the Roman Catholic Church in 1945, and includes an orphanage, hospital, monastery, convent, and the school itself.
The school opened its doors to the public in 1949 under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mutare.
From humble beginnings with a low enrolment rate due to limited accommodation and affordability challenges, the institution has grown into a beacon of academic and infrastructural excellence.
“On attaining independence, the school grew gradually from a seven-teacher school to the present 22-teacher institution. The entity has developed phenomenally from being solely a day school into an amalgamation of both boarding and day learning. Boarder numbers currently surpass day scholar statistics,” said Mr Ziyachecha.
As the country marches forward towards Vision 2030, institutions like Mt Melleray are proving that rural schools can be centres of innovation and excellence.
The 2024 Secretary’s Bell Merit Award, thus, is not only a celebration of past achievements, but a loud clarion call to continue building an educational legacy that will endure for generations to come.
