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Swagga T and Muchaneta Chimuka Cool Lifestyle Reporters
ZIMPAPERS has set aside US$20 000 for awards to pupils excelling in their academics and poetry.
The pledge has also extended to teachers who are moulding such talents. Speaking at the award ceremony held in Harare, the Acting Provincial Education Director in the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Edward Shumba, commended efforts by teachers in uplifting education standards in Zimbabwe.
“Teachers do a lot of work and yet they are not often recognised by societies at large. We are celebrating the achievements of our children in the Mbare-Hatfield district who excelled in their 2012 examinations and students around the country who presented the best poetry to the Detemba Tinzwe competition in the Kwayedza newspaper since January this year.
“We also have teachers who played their role in producing the best results at Grade 7, O- and A-Levels in the year 2012,” he said.
He said without the support from teachers the students could have not excelled.
“Zimpapers, through their Kwayedza newspaper, have entered into a partnership with the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture to award schools that excel in their work in Harare Province this year from Grade 7 to A-Level. A total of US$20 000 has been set aside for district and provincial merit awards,” he said.
Students and teachers from various schools went away with prizes ranging from cash, trophies, satchels and books.
Speaking at the same occasion, Kwayedza editor Mr Patrick Shamba said Zimpapers will continue working with schools especially in uplifting local languages which are slowly getting eroded.
“We are working with schools through our Detemba Tinzwe competition where students from various schools contribute their poetry write-ups for publication and we have discovered many young talents among them poetry genius Jonah Gurajena,” he said.
Gurajena, who is in Grade 7 at Chirodzo Primary School, was happy and said the prize will go a long way in developing his chosen talent.
“I thank the organisers for such a competition. Poetry is my passion. As young as I am, the sky is the limit as doors have been opened for me. I am going to pursue my poetry, who knows I can make a living out of it,” he said.
Through this achievement, Gurajena was awarded a one-year scholarship by Career and Mentorship Convention Zimbabwe at Makumbe Mission, Domboshawa.
CAMEC is an organisation that promotes students through moulding and facilitating the decent education.
Some of the schools that took part in the competition include Moffat Primary School, Queen Elizabeth High School, St Aidens Chitungwiza, Harare High, Allan Wilson, Eastridge Primary and SOS Waterfalls among others.
Nettleton Primary School pupils emerged top winners in the Harare Provincial Merit Awards with five pupils from the school scooping the grand prize in the category.
This is the third year that Zimpapers through Kwayedza have been running the programme.
Online Reporter