By Triader Chipunza
‘Thirty nine’ years of existence and toil, followed by an augment of the 2020 ‘A’ level pass rate has made Tabudirira high school in Bikita district to exult boarding school approval, which was recommended on April 7, 2022 by the Educational Head Office.
The school, which has been under the leadership of Mr Mukwena since 1994 has had students walk about six to nine kilometers to-and-fro school daily, which is also one of the reasons why officials from the Ministry of Education recommended boarding facilities. Education officers were also impressed by the developments which the school attained since Mr Mukwena took over.
With the go ahead from the Provincial Office, the Education Officer recently pegged the ground as they wait for the official letter.
Despite the global pandemic in 2020, students especially at A level scored high grades ranging between nine and fifteen points. There is also a noticeable pass rate between seventy three to one hundred percent over the past five years.
Currently the highest student stands at twenty points in the natural sciences.
The head, Mr Mukwena calls for participation in fund raising, including sources from well wishers, former students of the school, and levies from parents as well as fund raising activities with former students association heaving material support.
‘Matsai is not at the despised end and we need to be resilient and show that we exist. We are hoping to develop ourselves so we can change our destiny despite the hurdles in our way,’ said Mr Mukwena.
The school looks forward to enrolling more students than the current eight hundred and thirty seven pupils. Currently there are eight classroom blocks and there is a need for another block of two classrooms.
There is also a need for specialist laboratories for Biology, Chemistry and Physics, as well as two dining halls and dormitories to house one hundred and sixty students each with three hundred and twenty beds for a start. There is also a need for kitchen facilities.
‘The move from a day to a boarding school will also enhance some business opportunities to the locals as well as employment opportunities to the community’, said Mr Mukwena.
