Online Reporter
Conrad Mupesa
Features Writer
THE Government has commended the Chinhoyi High Old Students Association (CHOSA) for complementing its efforts to improve the quality of education through infrastructure development and support for learners.
CHOSA has been actively supporting Chinhoyi Technical High School through various initiatives, including infrastructure development and the provision of a US$7 500 scholarship to an outstanding rugby player at the school.
Speaking at the school last Friday, Makonde District Schools Inspector, Mr Solomon Katoma, said improving the education system was not the responsibility of the Government and schools alone, but required a whole-of-society approach.
“We commend what the old pupils are doing. This has seen development at the school,” he said.
Mr Katoma urged former learners from other schools to emulate CHOSA by contributing towards the development of their former schools.
“You can make a difference at your former school by providing that which you can. A window pane can go a long way in ensuring that learners are not faced with harsh weather conditions,” he said.
He said the school’s academic achievements were a result of concerted efforts by the administration, teachers, parents, guardians and former pupils.
Mr Katoma also commended the school for its diverse income-generating projects, which include a garden, poultry, piggery, dairy farming, bakery, ice-cream production, garment factory, rabbit project, barbershop, cosmetology and hairdressing salon, canteen, tuckshop, bus hire and a mealie-meal milling project.
School Development Committee chairperson, Dr Paradzayi Munyede, said the involvement of former pupils had eased some of the school’s operational challenges.
“We are striving to be the best, but the coming in of these former pupils has made it easier for the school to operate smoothly,” he said.
Dr Munyede called on more former pupils to support the school and contribute towards ensuring that learners received quality education.
Chinhoyi legislator and former pupil, Engineer Leslie Mhangwa, said former learners had a responsibility to give back to the institutions that shaped them.
“Former pupils are beneficiaries of the resources and infrastructure. They are the best people to understand what it was like and what they benefited from the school,” he said.
Engineer Mhangwa said supporting former schools also helped preserve their heritage and give current learners opportunities similar to those enjoyed by previous generations.
Meanwhile, former basketball player Ms Debra Muzulu pledged to assist in the refurbishment of the school’s basketball court.
Ms Muzulu, now a sales and distribution manager at a stock-feed company, was an outstanding basketball player at the school about three decades ago.
