Maria ChiguvariPERMANENT Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education, Moses Mhike, says St Francis of Assisi High School has become a shining example of excellence in Zimbabwe’s education sector.During the Secretary’s Merit Award ceremony, which was recently held at St Francis of Assisi High School, Mhike highlighted that the school’s commitment to commercialising production units has not only ensured food self-sufficiency but also generated income, making it largely self-sustaining.St Francis of Assisi High School is part of ten schools which serve as vital community hubs and which met the expectations of the annual selection criteria for the Secretary’s Merit Award from 2021 to 2024 in Mashonaland East.St Francis of Assisi has continued to excel in other curriculum related activities.The choral group continues to shine in the Archdiocesan choral competitions.The school became a powerhouse in NASH choral competitions where they finished in 10th place nationally last year.“St Francis of Assisi High School (2021) stands as a beacon of excellence in the commercialisation of production units, in line with the Heritage-Based Curriculum, and the nation’s thrust towards food self-sufficiency and skills development.“The school implements a wide range of impactful commercial ventures that include dairy farming, poultry production, piggery, beef and goat projects, market gardening, bakery operations, and an apiary.“These initiatives not only ensure reliable food supply for the boarding section but significantly reduce operational costs and generate income to make the institution largely self-sustaining.“Their dairy unit produces 35 litres of fresh milk daily, poultry stocks exceed 1,000 birds, and the piggery boasts 62 pigs.“The school bakes its own bread and confectionery, supplying the tuck shop and saving on external purchases,” he said.SDC Kenias Shonhai (second from left) DSI Kwenda Emmanuel (second from left) Headmaster Manhonga Tabuda (right)and Mickel Chuma CBZ branch manger (left)The school integrated technical and vocational Learning Areas examined by ZIMSEC and HEXCO, equipping pupils with practical life skills for self-reliance beyond the classroom.“Through strong leadership, an engaged School Development Committee, hardworking united staff and a visionary commitment to skills development and a heritage-based education, St Francis of Assisi High School continues to embody the spirit of innovation, self-sustenance, and inclusive education that the Secretary’s Merit Award seeks to recognize,” said the PS.The school headmaster, Mr Tabuda Manhonya, said their vision is to provide the best heritage based education for a socially and economically empowered society by 2030.“This vision has brought us together as a family and spurred us to continue the long journey of achieving our set goals as an entity. As we journey along, we have not lost sight of the competitive world in which we now exist which demands that we move away from being teachers to facilitators in line with the demands of the Heritage Based Curriculum.“The demands of the HBC require that we churn our learners who have the requisite skills and can invent a future that can easily address community, national, and global challenges. We have not been found wanting in this area as evidenced by the projects that our pupils are undertaking in the school, from dairy farming, piggery, poultry farming, market gardening, orchard and bee keeping, just to mention a few.”The schools have a number of projects that are currently running.
They purchased two dairy heifers in calf and these have since given birth and are producing 35 litres of fresh milk every day.“This has made us self-sufficient in our dairy needs and we envisage a situation where we could possibly diversify to production of other dairy products,” he said.Sister Doctor Theresa Nyadombo, the National Education and Safeguarding Coordinator and Member of the Pontifical Commission on Protection of Minors, said their dedication and hard work is a testament to the tireless efforts of students, teachers and administrators. “We are truly grateful for this acknowledgement and we are thrilled that St Francis of Assisi High School has been chosen to host this esteemed event.“The Bible reminds us, ‘Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it’ (Proverbs 22:6).“This verse resonates deeply with our mission as Catholic educators. We strive to nurture and guide our students, not only academically but also spiritually and morally.“I am incredibly proud of each of our award-winning schools for their commitment to excellence.
Today, we celebrate them,” she said.The Responsible Authority, Br George Machega, said St Francis of Assisi High School aims to educate learners holistically that is spiritually, intellectually, socially, and emotionally. “We strive to produce well-rounded students who embody the values of Ubuntu.“The school is also running many income generating projects which include bakery, piggery, dairy and poultry just to mention a few.“Our learners are fully involved in the operations of these great projects and thereby aligning with Education 5.0 which also emphasizes on exit skills and commercialisation of projects. The school system has shifted from producing job seekers to job creators,” he said.Share on FacebookPost on XFollow usSave
Originally published on Zimbabwe Herald
Source: Herald
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