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Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
ONE of Bulawayo’s top performing schools, Maranatha Adventist Primary, has received $1,3 million from the Government to finance its development projects after scooping the coveted Secretary’s Bell Merit Award.

The Secretary’s Bell is a prestigious award given annually to an all-round excelling school in the fields of academics, sport and extra-curricular activities.

For winning the merit award, Maranatha Adventist Primary School received $1,3 million meant for the development of a smart classroom whose equipment includes 45 smartphones (tablets) for learners, an electronic board, a projector and an ICT laptop.

In awarding the merit award to schools, the Ministry Primary and Secondary Education assesses infrastructure development, which is a key pillar and recipe of an effective matrix of the implementation of the Competence Based Curriculum (CBC) and commercial ventures, which is in line with the Cabinet directive on the commercialisation of education as a means of sustainability to schools

The ministry also looks at academic achievements, sporting and cultural activities.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs Tumisang Thabela visited the school last week to officially confer the honour. She commended Maranatha Adventist Primary School for winning the prestigious award.

“The school team has exerted itself over the years to fulfil the stringent conditions that are required in order to earn this recognition. I am proud to be presenting the Ministry’s most prestigious award to Maranatha Adventist Primary School,” said Mrs Thabela.

“I also commend the South Zimbabwe Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church for their commitment to complementing Government efforts in promoting the provision of access to high quality inclusive public education for our children.

“Through its recognition of curriculum innovation and the upholding of child centred policies and practices, the strategy helps other schools, especially those within the cluster, to benchmark their own performance against that of the high performing school and thus strive to push themselves in order to reach greater heights.”

The school head, Mrs Julia Ncube received a certificate of excellence for her innovation and a tablet.
Mrs Thabela also unveiled a plaque in lieu of the Secretary’s Bell of excellence during the colourful ceremony.

Situated in Nketa suburb, Maranatha Primary is among the top performing schools, having maintained 100 percent pass mark at Grade 7 over the years. The award was accorded to the school in 2018 but had not been officially presented.–@mashnets