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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
ANDERSON Adventist High in Gweru in the Midlands Province has since 2019 been recording a 100 percent pass rate in “O” and “A” level examinations and for the feat, the school has received the Secretary’s Merit Award for the second time.

The Secretary’s Merit Award, an accolade from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, is a quality control and supervisory tool that recognises schools for excellence.

Anderson started in 1950 on a 2-hectare piece of land along the Bulawayo – Harare Highway as a privately owned school before relocating to the present site along the Mvuma – Gweru Road.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Mrs Tumisang Thabela presented the coveted award and unveiled a plaque at the school.

The school received 42 tablets, a laptop, an electronic interactive board, a projector, and a certificate of excellence.
School head Mr Caxton Mukasvanga, who joined the school in 2012, was also honoured by the ministry for receiving a second merit. He received the first award when he was headmaster at Nyahuni Secondary School in Murehwa in 2010.

Mrs Thabela commended Anderson High School for delivering the best results through its robust education system.

She said Anderson is ranked among the best schools in the country following its consistent pass rate in both “O” and “A” levels.

“We commend Anderson High School for having gone digital through the use of smart classrooms by providing projectors and smart boards in most of your classrooms. The school is also encouraging learners to buy smart phones and laptops so that learning becomes easier and smart,’’ she said.

Mrs Thabela said the move by the school to go digital through e-learning should be adopted by other schools as it reduces the amount of labour for both learners and teachers.

She also commended the school for expanding its learning systems from theory to practical with educators teaching children how to venture into the commercial industry.

The school has agricultural projects which include poultry, cattle rearing, bee keeping, and aquaculture and also offers building and cooking lessons.

“It is pleasing to note that the school is determined to ensure that learners are involved in school projects like horticulture, apiary, aquaculture, hatchery, orchard, and poultry among other projects. The ministry applauds your aspiration to have these projects fully developed to a level where parents will pay less fees and be self-sufficient,” said Mrs Thabela.

She lauded Mr Mukasvanga for being an exemplary leader who works hard to make sure that the school meets its expected targets.

“Congratulations to Mr Mukasvanga for receiving the Secretary’s Merit Award for the second time with the first being at Nyahuni Secondary School,” said Mrs Thabela.

Mr Mukasvanga said the award serves as an inspiration to others for the great work.

“I want to thank the staff especially teachers who work tirelessly to make sure that our children pass with flying colours, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education which is helping us to achieve our curriculum education goals including the parents who are supporting us,’’ he said.

Mr Mukasvanga said the pass rate for both “O” and “A” level rose from 82 percent in 2006 to 100 percent in 2019 to date.

He said the school now boasts of five fish ponds and they are expecting to harvest at least 10 tonnes of fish.

The school has 12 dairy cows, three of which are being milked giving the school 80 litres of milk a week.

“The milk feeds the learners and during holidays, we sell it to the local community and we look forward to increasing our dairy head,” said Mr Mukasvanga.

In terms of horticulture, the school has several vegetable gardens where they have planted including spinach, lettuce, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes and cabbages.

“We recently constructed a greenhouse which should give us a minimum of 18 tonnes of tomatoes per harvest cycle. All vegetables feed our students and we sell some around Gweru,” said Mr Mukasvanga.

He said they have a hatchery producing 1 300 chickens per 21 days.

“We sell the chickens to the local community and parents. The school is 80 percent solarised so the hatchery is not affected by electricity cuts. We have a head layer of 500 road runners and several chickens ready for the market,” said Mr Mukasvanga.

“We have broilers and layers which produce eggs for our boarders while we sell excess eggs.”
Mr Mukasvanga said the projects help capacitate the school and provide bursaries to the less privileged learners.