Secretary’s Merit Award
THE Director of Ceremonies, the Guest of Honour, the PED for Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, the DEO here present, Head of both Primary and Secondary Schools, parents, teachers, all stakeholders, ladies and gentlemen. I feel greatly honoured and privileged to be part of the history makers. This occasion symbolises excellence and dedication to duty by parents, teachers and students.
Ladies and gentlemen, may I take this opportunity to give you a brief history of the school that has achieved this milestone. The school first opened its doors to pupils at Hebert Stanley Hostel in Barham Green in January 1952 to fill a long-standing need of the Asian and Coloured Communities for Secondary schooling as recommended by the Beadle Commission in 1946.
The enrolment has shown a steady growth. In 1952 it was 120 pupils, and today we boast of 1 640 pupils. We are open to pupils of any race and culture governed by the principle of mutual respect and responsibility. To date Founders High School has a staff complement of 82, the majority of whom are qualified, degreed or pursuing their studies with various universities in the country.
Our staff offers a wide range of academic and practical subjects. In fact, we have vocationalised our curriculum to an extent that each child does Agriculture among the host of array of other subjects such as TG, F/F, WW, MW, Art, PE, F/S, TCD, and music. This skill orientation approach will empower the child to leave school with at least a skill for life. Enrolment into these classes is gender-sensitive and in response to the emerging economic trends. For your own information ladies and gentlemen, we have more boys doing F/S than girls at A-level and quite a number of girls are doing MW and WW which were predominantly a boys’ province.
The school embodies the concept of inclusivity. We boast of a Special Education Unit where students specialise in skills training to boost the confidence, competencies and competitiveness in society, which is fundamental to achieving quality and relevant education for all. The Guidance and Counselling Department incorporates First Aid and life skills, clubs, Girls and Boys Empowerment movements, orphans and vulnerable children’s welfare and a childheaded families. These welfare programmes are supported by the social safety nets such as Beam, Capernaum, War Vets Association, Rotary Club and various church organisations.
Founders High School is also a nerve for the Non-Formal Education commonly known as Part Time Continuing Education (PTCE). It encompasses continuing education, on the job training, second chance education and life-long education. Our support staff has joined the programme and have actually specialised in areas such as poultry, piggery, horticulture, landscaping etc. Even if they were to leave Founders High today they boast of a skill for life and so they have improved their market situation — at least they know what they are worth. This is all done in line with the Government’s thrust — Zim Asset. Founders is already enjoying value addition and beneficiation. I am happy to say that this programme the PTCE has already produced two teachers and one dietician.
Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to look back and reflect on the past which has led to this historic and momentous occasion. These are the achievements over the past five years in academic, sport, and cultural landscapes. Of special note are our Drum Majorettes who have been a marvel to watch in action and who have been scooping prizes year in, and year out at the ZITF. The marimba band was not to be outdone as well at the ZITF this year. Our basketball team has shocked quite a number of big names at Provincial and National levels with our U-15 boys making it to the National Competitions in Masvingo at a date to be announced. Chess and Public Speaking clubs are also doing wonderfully well.
This day, ladies and gentlemen, is and opportunity to look into the future with hope, at a time to reflect, reminisce with pride and rejoice at the success so far achieved. My speech ladies and gentlemen, would be incomplete in the eyes of the public, for the excellence above all is measured by public examination results. Let me take you through that for the past five years.
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
21% 28% 30% 41% 42%
2011 95% 2012 84% 2013 91% 2014 91% 2015 92%
Fifteen of our A-level students managed to score 10 points and above with Shepherd Chingarande who is currently doing law scoring 15 points. We are gradually improving not only the pass rate but also the quality of the grades as well. For example at O-level we had 12 students with 6 As and above. There was also fierce competition from the PTCE where one of them had 2 As and 3 Bs. This is no mean feat for someone who is both at work and at school.
1 Georgia House Hostel that was burnt down in 2002 has been rehabilitated and boasts of 72 boarders. It is incomplete though. Well-wishers please assist.
2 We drilled a borehole to assist our water situation and to make sure our green revolution sees the light of day. We have planted lawn in our soccer pitch, the school perimeter brick wall is taking shape, the prestigious gate house/ control room, piggery, poultry, school cafeteria, new computers and the introduction of pure sciences at Form 3, ie, Physics, Chemistry and Biology has seen 29 students funded by STEM.
Strategic Smart Partnerships were entered into with various companies and organisations. Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe provides driving lessons for our students, teachers and the community, VID comes to Founders High to test them and receive their Provisional Driving Licence (PDLs). Quite a number of our students are Class 4 drivers already with Teachers and Support Staff boasting of having acquired Classes 2 and 4. We are also in partnership with ZRP Donnington through the Junior Police Call Programme — This programme has seen our disciplinary problem taking a nose dive.
The army, School of Music, Airforce of Zimbabwe, NRZ, Nyaradzo Group of Companies are also our partners. You can see the tent for yourselves — warm relationship. Prestige Paints, Early Ashes Hardware Centre, Highlanders FC, Buy and Build, Trust Academy, Haddon and Sly, Astra Paints — the list is long, ladies and gentlemen.
Yes! Founders has come of age like wine. It matures with age. It is about old wine in new skins and new wine in old skins (New Teachers — Old Buildings).
The environment ladies and gentlemen, you will agree with me is refreshing right from the gate. You are welcomed by life — the green revolution, the landscaping — Founders Falls — Just the feeling of being here should inspire you to donate something to Founders High School to continue growing in leaps and bounds. It will remind you that you were there when it happened — that you were part of this history which came after 63 years, the legacy and rich heritage. In our endeavours to Stemitise FHS we are in partnership with Zimbabwe Open University. Founders is an exam centre for ZOU. ZOU tutorials are conducted at Founders. We hope to persuade them to use labs for their tutorials so that our students can benefit. They will definitely spruce up the labs to match university standards and then we will be the centre of STEM. One of our former students who did TG here wants to donate a state-of-the-art plan of a library. He is now an architect with a big company. He went through Founders High School.
We have a fair share of challenges. The school needs a bigger bus to ferry students to educational and sporting events. Our makeshift library is just too small to accommodate the growing number of students and this society as it is supposed to serve the whole community. With our Smart Partnership we believe we can tackle these two to begin with.
In conclusion ladies and gentlemen, let me be frank with you that what you have witnessed here is testimony to the team spirit exhibited by parents, admin of FHS, teachers, support staff and students who have made this day a memorable one. Aristotle once said, “They who educate children well, are more to be honoured than they who produce them, for these only gave the life, those the art of living”.
Ladies and gentlemen, please help me to thank all these stakeholders by putting our hands together in recognition of such unparrelled commitment and hard work. I salute them. Thank You.