ZNA Commander Chimonyo commends excelling students
ZIMBABWE National Army Commander, Lieutenant General Edzai Chimonyo, on Friday last week handed over prizes to excelling army school pupils for their academic and sporting achievements at a Commander ZNA Schools Merit Awards ceremony held at Headquarters Infantry Brigade.
The 9th edition of the event was held under the theme: “Education for socio-economic development through life skills orientation, science and technology.”
The awards marked an end to a week-long sporting extravaganza that saw the schools battle it out in various sporting activities, scientific innovations and marching drills.
In his keynote speech, Lt Gen Chimonyo reminded students that they had a key role to play in the economic turnaround of the country.
“This year’s theme, ‘Education for socio-economic development through life skills orientation, science and technology,’ which fits well in the Government and country’s new curriculum that aims at motivating students to cherish their Zimbabwean identity, inculcate problem solving skills and prepare them for a life outside the classroom through acquiring relevant practical and vocational skills,” said Lt Gen Chimonyo.
He hailed the army schools for developing infrastructure, especially for science studies that have seen most of the schools having laboratories constructed and science teachers being recruited.
“I am reliably informed and delighted to learn that army schools have made notable achievements as far as infrastructural developments are concerned in the area of science and technology which is in tandem with Government policy on taking up pure sciences for the development of the country’s industry,” he said.
Lt Gen Chimonyo said the army has wavered the normal age limit for science teachers to 35 to allow for the recruitment of science graduate teachers.
The army, he said, had partnered with various stakeholders in infrastructure development that will see the construction of computer and ICT laboratories, classroom blocks as well as replace chalk boards with electronic computer boards as a way of embracing ICT development and e-learning.
The annual event, held on a rotational basis, saw Ngezi High School and Magunje Secondary Schools scooping the best Advanced Level results after obtaining a 100 percent pass rate in the November 2017 examinations.
Ngezi High School also scooped the best O Level results with a 65,9 percent in the 2017 sitting while Mbalabala was rewarded for attaining a 100 percent pass rate during the same sitting.
Ngezi High School also scooped the best science innovation for their chicken incubator in the secondary school category while 2 Brigade won the accolade in the primary division for their manual nutshelling machine.
Students were also awarded in sporting activities ranging from athletics, soccer, volleyball, netball and cricket as well as marching drills among others.
Twelve primary and six secondary schools drawn from across the country attended the awards ceremony.
University of Zimbabwe acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo also attended the event.