Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Post Reporter
THE National Association of Primary Heads (NAPH) Manicaland this week hosted its first-ever provincial conference and workshop, which drew several school administrators from across the province.
The well-organised conference was held for three days in Rusape, under the theme: ‘Embracing Artificial Intelligence As A Key Element In Implementing the Heritage-Based Curriculum’.
The Chief Director for Provincial Education Services (Manicaland Province), Mr Richard Gabaza, attended the conference, and commended the NAPH provincial executive for the pioneering idea of bringing headmasters together to discuss and explore new trends in education.
He also called for the adoption of new technology without compromising school culture and values.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the NAPH Manicaland leadership for organising this strategic engagement which comes at a critical time when education systems across the world are being transformed by technology, innovation and the evolving needs of our learners. As school leadership, you are at the forefront of implementing the national vision of developing competent, productive, innovative and patriotic citizens through our Heritage-Based Curriculum.
“The Heritage-Based Curriculum places emphasis on developing learners who are innovative, technologically competent, entrepreneurial and capable of solving real-life challenges within their communities. Artificial Intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept, it is now a reality shaping education, agriculture, health, industry, business and governance.
‘‘The integration of AI into our education system presents opportunities to personalise learning experiences for our learners, enhance teaching and assessment practices, support research, innovation and problem-solving, improve school administration and management, and promote creativity, entrepreneurship and technological literacy. However, while embracing AI, we must ensure that technology complements our heritage, values, culture and national identity. AI should serve as a tool that strengthens our educational goals rather than replacing the human values that define us as Zimbabweans,” said Mr Gabaza.
NAPH Manicaland provincial chairman, Mr Trust Kuraoune Chipongo said headmasters are doing their best, leading to the tremendous improvement in academics, sport, music and traditional dance.
Mr Chipongo added that Manicaland Province is now synonymous with success at national level, a feat he said will be jealously guarded.
“NAPH Manicaland Province holds the national ZIMSEC Grade Seven record as the best performer, producing the highest number of candidates with six units. We have the best-performing districts in Mutare, Makoni and Nyanga, with schools such as Mutare Junior Primary School, John Cowie Primary School, Chancellor Primary School, Baring Primary School, and Mt Mellary Primary School, among others, topping the list. Districts not mentioned are also coming up, and we sincerely applaud the commitment.
‘‘The overall success of our candidates at Grade Seven in all our schools is a result of the hard-working, duty-driven school heads, who have sacrificed their time and used very limited resources to achieve outstanding results. Our teachers, parents, learners and corporate partners, such as book publishers and sellers, also deserve high acknowledgement for their unparalleled service delivery.
“In 2025, NAPH Manicaland’s athletics team was placed first in the national athletics competitions held in Hwange.
‘‘In Term Two of 2025, Manicaland ball games teams won the greatest number of gold medals and trophies, making our province the overall winner. Special mention goes to Garahwa Primary School’s netball team coached by Mr and Mrs Foroma, which for the past 10 years has finished first while representing Manicaland Province. As we all journey towards a digital socio-economic lifestyle canvassed in e-textbooks, e-payslips, e-Government, email, e-passports and other e-services to follow, it is prudent for each one of us to sail with the current trends in order to remain relevant.
“Failure to embrace change and Artificial Intelligence technologies is failure to fulfil Vision 2030 and digital transformation. Let every headmaster carry the AI yoke, for without AI skills and a robotics mindset, the Heritage-Based Curriculum implementation will be insurmountable.
‘‘Let us embrace AI and implement it fully and successfully for the benefit of our Manicaland Province, the province we are all proud of. Together we build Manicaland towards excellence,” said Mr Chipongo.
NAPH also honoured and awarded schools that excelled last year.
In sport, Jersey Primary (Chipinge), Barura Primary (Buhera) and Baring Primary (Mutare) received trophies for their schools and prizes for their headmasters.
In the academics, Mutare Junior and Mt Mellary received awards, while Mutare District was honoured for improved academic results.
Makoni District received a trophy for successfully hosting the conference, and Mr Gabaza was honoured for his leadership in the province. The awards ceremony underscored NAPH’s commitment to recognising and incentivising excellence across Manicaland’s primary schools, a practice educationists say is critical to sustaining high performance.
By publicly celebrating outstanding schools, the association creates a culture of healthy competition in which recipients are motivated to maintain their standards, while rival institutions are inspired to close the gap. Incentivisation, therefore, serves a dual purpose – affirming the efforts of teachers, learners and school leadership, and setting a visible benchmark for others to emulate.
The ultimate objective extends beyond individual accolades to measurable improvements in pass rates and the broader development of human capital. When schools strive for distinction in academics, sport, music and culture, they produce well-rounded learners equipped with the knowledge, discipline and confidence needed for a competitive economy.
Such outcomes align directly with the aspirations of Vision 2030 and the targets of the National Development Strategy (NDS2), which prioritise quality education, skills development and inclusive growth.
By institutionalising recognition, NAPH is helping to embed a performance-driven ethos that supports national development goals and ensures Manicaland continues to lead in producing capable, innovative and patriotic citizens.
