adminMorris Mtisi
TSAMBE, the great school of old which if you did not pass through, you had not gone to school! Anyone who does not know this famous adage probably did not go to any school at all. St Augustine’s produced many giants and icons of various intellectual and academic pedigrees. Each generation of students beat their own record of academic achievement making Tsambe, the school that takes its name from a little sacred river that runs close by throughout the year, a centre of academic equilibrium famously known far and wide.
There is a St Augustine’s in England, but this one in Zimbabwe-in Manicaland Province, in a small area known for its gold-mining-Penhalonga, is more popular than the British version. At least to us Africans, who through it, made indelible history in their lives to prove that, as Nelson Mandela asserted, “Education is(indeed) the only weapon with which to fight poverty and ignorance!”
Tsambe made heroes, icons, political giants like Herbert Wiltshire Chitepo, Edgar Tekere, luminaries like Martin Kaunda, Elizabeth Nyamwanza, Tapiwa Mandimutsira, Dr Chitungo Forgiveness in Mutare, Dr Mavhu who championed and spearheaded the male circumcision campaign worldwide,and many others of similar mantle in various genres of life: Doctors Edward Fusire, Farai Muchena, Petty Mudziwepasi- a prominent pharmacist and successful business lady today,many more.
Each generation made its own heroes and heroines under the banner of the indomitable Tsambe.
Tsambe has been led by many icons, the likes of Father Kebble Prosser whose ashes were interred at the school cemetery on March 5, 2015, Mr Rinashe, Mr Stanley Runyowa, Charles Chiturumana and Nyamukungwa. In the hurly-burly of the Anglican leadership feud, a lot happened. No one rejoices in listening to or reading about that unfortunate part of the history of once the best school in Zimbabwe.
Today, the baton of leadership is in the hands of Mr Anold Makamba.
A veteran of educational leadership in his own right, Mr Makamba ably led many schools around Zimbabwe including Daramombe and Gatsi High schools to mention only a few.
In an exclusive interview with The Manica Post recently, Mr Makamba chronicled his vision of Tsambe.
“I am committed to seeing a St Augustine’s High School that has reclaimed its historical glory-the very best school in Zimbabwe, a factory of national builders. I had never been to Tsambe before, but of course had heard the name reverberating over the hills and far away,” said Mr Makamba.
“When I arrived here, the first thing that bothered me was the answer to the question, ‘Why is this great school losing luster in performance results and seemingly continuing on a downturn?’ Soon I discovered among other reasons that discipline was top on the list. Boys randomly went out to drink beer at a nearby shopping centre.
Girls easily whisked into town to drink and have fun at will with friends and lovers. With the help of my administration staff and team of hard working senior teachers…every member of staff I must say, I was able to put a stop to this rampant permissiveness.”
Mr Makamba related how study time lacked strict supervision and how the library was not fully utilized.
“I made sure teachers on duty were present and doing their job during afternoon and evening study time. I extended time to access the library so that bookworms would exploit the facility at will,” said Mr Makamba.
The following examination results and summary analysis vindicate hard-working Makamba and is testimony enough for his dream of a reclaimed Tsambe:
“We have made a trajectory improvement from year to year at both ‘O’ and ‘A’ level results. Our results were the best in Mutasa District and in the province, in terms of quantity and quality,” revealed Mr Makamba.
“A total of 100 students sat for ‘A’ level examinations and only one failed, giving us a percentage pass rate of 99. Four students registered 20 points and 17 registered 15 points. We had a total of eleven 14 pointers,” he added.
The results for years 2013, 2014 and 2015 were as follows respectively: 2013-98.99 percent pass rate, 2014-98.97 percent, 2015-99 percent.
In the O-level examinations for 2015, 154 students sat final examinations and 150 passed, giving the school a 97.31 percent pass rate. Since 2013 the following was the trend: 2013-75.56percent pass rate, 2014-93.33percent and 2015-97.31percent. What do sane people say? Excellent performance! A trajectory improvement Mr Makamba proudly talks about!
I asked him what measures he had taken or was taking to realise his vision of a Tsambe of the past whose pass rate and incessant production of icons and luminaries was second to none.
Answered Mr Makamba: “I do not underestimate the task ahead of me, not at all. I came to Tsambe briefly in 2014 on a familiarisation visit. That was when I first noticed a school with a rather disturbing tone. In 2015 I joined the school. I have already alluded to that challenge which I thwarted once and for all. I have linked with former Tsambe students and many have helped in one way or another to reshape the school. A good example is the group of former students organised and led by former student,Mr Trevor Saruwaka, who adopted and refurbished the Geography room into a state-of-the-art room.
The youngest son of the veteran late nationalist Herbert Chitepo, Mr Kule Chitepo, through the Chitepo Fund, has also donated in cash and kind to the school especially the Library which is named after his late father.”
In tandem with Minister Dokora’s vision of a transformed curriculum, the headmaster sighted huge school projects which not only comply with the Zim-Asset economic blueprint, but ensure that students seriously learn life skills that develop in theman understanding and love to learn to become self employers and employers of others rather than job seekers.
The school runs a piggery of nearly 100 pigs, a school tuck-shop where students not only buy eats and refreshment drinks, but also learn the art, or is it the science, of running a small business using proper business procedures and practices as studied in their Economics and Business Studies.
There is a flourishing poultry project which supplies the school with eggs and chicken for student meals. The school garden supplies all vegetables for the kitchen.
Sporting
The school sporting chief, Mr Squashmore Mudziwepasi, chronicled a proud record of achievements.
“We have had eight world class athletes who have competed at national level for the past 10 years. Alice Maunze competed in Swaziland where she lifted both the Santa flag and Zimbabwean flag by coming out tops in the 100 metres hurdles. As we speak she is in camp for the NASH competitions scheduled for March 17 and 18 at Hilcrest College. Kushaina Another is another Usain Bolt athlete whose 100 and 400 metre dashes in 2013 led him to a USA College of Athletics.
In the U-17 category, Sunguro Panashe is certain to bring gold to Tsambe in the 100m, 200m and 4 x 400m relay,” revealed Mr Mudziwepasi, unable to hide his pride in ‘his’ athletes.
He also praised the netball team which reached the provincial competitions in 2015 driven, he said, by none other than Alice Maunze.
“What an athletics machine!” exclaimed Mr Mudziwepasi visibly enjoying telling a good story about top athletes making both Tsambe and Zimbabwe proud.
Mudziwepasi could not conclude his story of sports icons without mentioning the name of Sanyatwe Constantine, the soccer team’s goalkeeper whom he likened to Victor Enyema of Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Nyamangodo Ralph whom he described as slightly better than Neymar of Brazil and Barcelona.
“This mercurial dribbler and lethal striker can play any number on the field… you need to see him. He is pure magic on the field,” said Mudziwepasi unable to conceal his own huge appetite for the world’s most beautiful game.
The school’s Responsible Authority is represented at the high school by Father Shonai David Magurupira.
Explaining how he managed to broker peace and oneness in a fragmented staff complement following the dust in the air raised by the previous notorious leadership wrangle, the St Augustine’s rector, said he first appealed for calm and then a spirit of forgiveness to prevail.
“It wasn’t easy I can tell you. Some of the elements here were active perpetrators of the division. I was arrested in the process at some stage. But I continued to appeal for forgiveness and team spirit. Finally we agreed to forgive one another and bury the hatchet,” said Father Magurupira.
“I am proud to say we work hand-in-glove with the headmaster. He is an excellent consulter. I do not do anything without consulting him. We work perfectly well together and tour the same line of progress and development in the school,” Father Magurupira added.
“Everything we do here begins and ends with a prayer,” he said. Of course, the interview with The Manica Post did not begin or end with a prayer.
To cap it all the school head, Mr Makamba paid tribute to all who make his job easy and enjoyable.
“I cannot end this interview without thanking all my teaching staff. They are a formidable team of hard workers and dedicated teachers. The Responsible Authority here represented by Father Gurupira is cooperative and supportive. I want to thank all of them sincerely.May the good Lord, continue to bless us on this our journey of educating future leaders!”
Mr Makamba concluded by revealing the name of Mr Moses Mukoyi- school head-St Faith’s High School as his role model, the first school head for this reporter and writer to hear emulating another school head in public.
“I emulate Mr Mukoyi, the headmaster of St Faith’s High School. He is my inspiration and role model. I have learnt a lot from him and continue to draw wisdom from this wise and able headmaster.”
There you are my friend Moses! More power to your elbow! As we celebrate Makamba’s hard work and vision at Tsambe, the school where you learnt all your administrative wisdom, we celebrate your own infectious leadership qualities.
Online Reporter