The ManicaPost
Freedom Mutanda Post Correspondent—
GAZA Primary School is the doyen of Chipinge in terms of its trailblazing success rate that resonates well with its motto: ‘’Deeds not words.’’
| Since 2011, the school has been on an upward trajectory and the school authorities and parents are hungry for more success with each passing year. |
Where did the school come from?
Missionaries are credited with the establishment of Chipinga African School. United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe (formerly American Board Mission) saw the expanding African township (Gaza) as a grouping that needed a school for its children. Europeans had already founded Chipinga School for their own children. That was in 1958.
The first head was a Mr Masole. At that time it was situated where Gaza E is today. Government bought the school from the church in 1960. Between 1960 and 1979, the enrolment vacillated between 200 and 300, but as the war intensified, many children came from the countryside and swelled the numbers of pupils at the school.
Today, the school boasts of 877 girls and 848 boys, making it one of the biggest schools in Chipinge. The name Gaza comes from an ethnic group that came from Nguniland that called itself Abakwa Gaza (the children of Gaza) and they were led by Soshangana, the great general who commanded Zwide’s forces during the internecine wars caused by scarcity of resources in Nguniland.
An African suburb was named Gaza in recognition of the fact that Chipinga used to be part of the Gaza State that extended up to Mozambique.
School motto
‘’Deeds not words’’ are the two little words that drive Gaza Primary School to greater heights as it moves mountains to challenge the ‘big’ guys in education. According to the headmaster, Mr Phineas Kuzuwazuwa, everyone at the school is results oriented and teach children life skills that would be indispensable to them in their future lives.
‘’Our teachers are a magnificent lot. Right from ECD A to Grade Seven, they act like relay players who know that the anchor relies on the other team players to succeed. Because of that, when success comes, we all rejoice,’’ he said.
When everything is said and done, a collective effort makes a monumental success; thus, the motto is apt.
2016 Grade Seven results
A total of 232 candidates sat for the 2016 examinations. Six pupils failed. A whopping 31 pupils the four subjects. It is a record for the school and fittingly, on Monday this week, staff members and the outgoing Grade Seven pupils met in the imposing Gaza School hall which has a capacity of 1 500 occupants to celebrate a feat that has long been in the offing judging by the upward trajectory that has been seen in recent years.
16 students had five points. Between six and eight points there are 42 pupils who showed that they were very good candidates who can go on to participate in the new curriculum that seeks to STEAMatize our students.
Overall, the school had a 97.4 percent pass rate. At Gaza Primary School, from Grade Six upwards, they choose the best pupils to occupy the first class. This heightens competition among pupils.
Ms Prisca Chingoriyo is the Deputy Head. She says she is exhilarated by the results as they put the -school on the district, provincial and national maps.
“We are thrilled that the last class benefited from PLAP initiatives with the result that we had 86% there and we are really excited about what the future holds for us,’’ she said.
Unbelievably, enrolment is so democratic that children are enrolled without checking their academic potential in line with Government policy.
One wonders why Gaza Primary School goes toe to toe with the so-called former Group A schools. SDC chairperson, Mr Pedzisanayi Mudende, youthful as he is, said parents reward good work every year and they reward every teacher at the school and just Grade Seven teachers only who bask in the glory of having made it.
‘’We reward our teachers with the little that we have. However, every teacher who taught the 4 pointers receives a prize. That way, everyone feels the happiness that envelopes the school when there are good results,’’ he said.
Mr Kuzuwazuwa emphasised that his team of teachers are a committed lot.
‘’My team is committed. We have engendered a culture of reading amongst our students. In the third term at Grade One, our students begin writing compositions and that makes them strong candidates for success come Grade Seven,’’ he said.
Mr Slowman Mlambo produced 30 four-unit holders this year and he is over the moon. He has been with these pupils since last year. He is pleased to have broken another record.
‘’I am humbled and I believe it is God’s work although I must admit these youngsters went beyond the call of duty. I loaded them with homework and they diligently did it. Admittedly, the administration made it a point that the resources we wanted were availed in time,’’ he said.
Other Grade Seven teachers this year were Wonder Mabhanga, ChawapuwaJeza, J Masunda and John Semwayo. These hardworking teachers ensured the quality of Gaza Primary School.
Achievements in other areas
The school has accepted the spirit of inclusivity. It has a resource units that caters for the needs of the physically and mentally challenged pupils who enrol at the school. With that in mind, the ablution facilities are child friendly and are easily accessible to every pupils regardless of physical inability.
‘’Some of the physically challenged pupils recently went to Shamva to participate in a five-aside soccer competition,’’ the sports director said.
The school has 30 computers which afford pupils to learn ICT skills. Nevertheless, the head feels more computers ought to be purchased.
‘’We believe that the new curriculum is unambiguous in its push for ICT training from ECD upwards.
Against such a background, we hope to buy 70 more computers for two classes to be taught computers simultaneously.
To that end, we hope to have two specialist computer teachers,’’ said the head.
In the first term, a number of pupils reached the national athletics finals. Three soccer players were chosen to be part of the provincial team and their coach, Mr Hardlife Muyambo was the national assistant coach.
‘’Over a period of nine terms, parents paid the bus levy and last term, we purchased a Yu Tong bus for use in our various excursions for academic or sports purposes.
Parents realised that the amount of money they used to hire transport was a drain on the school coffers; hence, they came up with the bus levy and we are happy we succeeded,’’ said Mr Martin Muzaqana, the SDC secretary.
Challenges
The head said there is hot sitting from Grade One to Five and ablution facilities could not cope with the growing pupil population.
‘’We have space constraints in as far as building more class room blocks are concerned. Nonetheless, we envisage to have that under control by 2019 when we would have built a two or three storey block which would have 12 classrooms.
Already an ablution block with showers is almost complete. We solemnly hope that all parents pay up school fees. It would be ideal to have a school truck. We hope we will achieve our objectives within the foreseeable future,’’ he said.
The fees are pegged at $45.
Gaza Primary School has had its best ever year, but the staff still wants some more.
Their motto propels them forward.
‘’Deeds not words!’’
The deeds are there for everyone to see.
