The ManicaPost
Post correspondent —
Mr Amos Jesmel Rushwaya, a long serving teacher and college lecturer, passed away on 14 November 2016 and was buried at Farm 73 in Gutu last week after a colourful and rewarding career in the civil service spanning four decades.
His was indeed a life well lived as thousands of students passed through his hands with the result that millions more benefited from his Midas touch.
He was born on 13 May 1946 in Gutu and went to Mapanzure School for his primary schooling. He would later go to Dadaya and Fletcher High Schools for secondary and high school respectively. His passion for Geography saw him graduate with a BA in Geography in August 1970 at the University of Botswana.
He went to Dadaya Secondary School for a teaching stint in 1971 before going to New Zealand for further studies that culminated in his graduating with a BA (Hons) Geography from Victoria University, Wellington in 1974.
Teaching was his passion. At that time, there were very few African graduates because of the political ideology of the day. He returned to Dadaya for a second stint which saw him serve there from 1971 to 1978. Mucheke Secondary School was his next port of call that saw him teach there from early 1978 up to the end of the year.
Umtali Teachers’ College came calling in 1979; for the next 31 years, Mr Amos Rushwaya’s name became synonymous with teacher education. He was later to leave Mutare Teachers’ College and join Marymount Teachers’ College in the same capacity as a Geography lecturer. He assisted in recruiting freedom fighters in collaboration with a local business man, Mr Mhaka.
He was married to Nyeketa Rumbidzai Rushwaya and had five children, a boy and four girls. Four children are in the diaspora while Vongai is in Rusape.
The Rushwaya children have followed in their father’s footsteps in as far as education is concerned. Masimba is an economist and based in Namibia. Tariro is a lecturer at a South African University and has a degree in English. Chipo is currently involved in Law doctoral studies at the University of Cape Town. Mukai is a pharmacist and is based in the United Kingdom. Vongai is a secondary school teacher in Rusape.
Tariro Juliet Rushwaya, the second born who is based in Cape Town, had this to say about her father, ‘’my father had a positive outlook to life. He was a very loving, caring and understanding man. He was committed and passionate about education, not only for his family but the community as a whole. He would light up a room with his great sense of humour. His departure has left a void that would be difficult to fill.’’
Indeed, the education sector has lost a champion of teacher education. His consultancy work after his retirement shaped the future of many a people.
His nephew and family spokesperson, Zvidzai Rushwaya, said he learnt a lot from the exploits of his uncle. From 1984, the two forged a relationship that drew them closer so much that observers thought the two were brothers and not a father-son relationship in the African tradition.
‘’My uncle was a trendsetter. He was the first person in the Rushwaya family to be awarded a degree. You know that at that time, it was almost impossible to access education but he went on to acquire two degrees. When I came to Mutare and worked as for NRZ, we became close and he mentored me tremendously. I wouldn’t be what I am today had it not been that he taught me the basics of life. It will take us a while to forget the immense contributions he made to our family. As a family, we will miss him greatly,’’ he said.
‘’To the Rushwaya family and mine in particular, he was a pacesetter. Every time results came out, he would ask for those results and that made our children to regard education highly.
“He was an inspiration to the family. Socially, he was a man of the people. At his burial, there was a deluge as Mutareans and others who came from every part of the country and the diasporathe country came to Gutu to witness his final resting place,’’ he added.
The education sector continues to lose experienced personnel. Isn’t it high time that these lights of our education write their memoirs for the benefit of the next generation? Food for thought.
All MTC and Marymount Teachers’ College former students will forever cherish your infectious smile and pedagogues.
