From ‘earn and learn’ to competitive community school
THERE was a time when children who failed to go to boarding schools for their secondary education headed to Ratelshoek or Jersey Secondary Schools to acquire education in the popular ‘earn and learn’ set-up championed by Tanganda Tea Company.
Students from all parts of Zimbabwe made a beeline for ‘’Ridhi’’ (a corruption of Reid who is reputed to have been the first estate manager of Ratelshoek Estate) and when they arrived there, they were warmly treated and went on to excel at school.
Ratelshoek offered respite to the children who lived in an educational desert owing to poverty.
The Manica Post recently paid a visit to the school which has changed from that bygone school which encouraged earn and learn into a truly community school.
From Chipinge town to Ratelshoek Estate, there are some sharp curves, but as we drive towards the school, one is met by the beautiful undulations of tea bushes. Macadamia trees bring order to the area which is in natural Region One. It is in this region close to the Mozambican border that Ratelshoek High School is located.
The school never suffered from closure during the liberation war.
When it all started Chipinge had two secondary schools in 1969, Chikore and Mount Selinda. Following the enactment of the 1966 Education Act which made it abundantly clear that a mere 12 and half percent of African Grade 7 graduands would go for secondary education at F1 schools, while 37 and half percent went for F2 education, the Tanganda Tea Company, saw it fit to establish a secondary school which would absorb a big number of African students who would be trained in practical related education. To this end, in 1970, David Smith, the then Minister of African Education, opened the school to the public. Mr John Gumiro was the first headmaster and there were three classes of students in that inaugural year.
Subsequent heads include Messers Abisha Mbauya, Hlahla, SOMS Sithole, Richard Gabaza and Cames Khosa. Ratelshoek High School has lived up to its billing as a practical oriented school as Metalwork, Agriculture, Food and Nutrition remain the dominant and well equipped subjects at the school.
‘’That year was a watershed one. Since we could not get places at Chikore and Mount Selinda owing to our lower passes, Ratelshoek Secondary School came as a breath of fresh air to many students who embraced it the way a duck takes to water,’’ said one of the pioneer students who is now the SDC treasurer, Isau N. Sithole; he has many fond memories of the school genesis.
To date, Tanganda Tea Company is the Responsible Authority. It provides free housing, electricity, health and water to teachers. When students go for ball games, the company provides transport. Moreover, the company takes care of maintenance issues at the school including paying for the grounds man.
Motto
The school’s motto is: Commitment, Teamwork and Excellence.
A dedicated group of teachers ably led by Mr Cames Khosa and Mr Charles Makuyana, was busy training soccer and netball players when The Manica Post arrived on Africa Day. The motto, therefore, is a lived one and the ambience around the school where students were working on their projects in different practical learning area is testimony of how the motto is followed to the letter by the stakeholders.
Academic and sports achievements
For years, Ratelshoek Secondary School competed favourably in sports and the administration motivates learners to aim higher like eagles.
The head, Mr Khosa, said as a school, it offers scholarships to any student who excels up to national level. The child is given three term’s fees amounting to $150.
So far, Tafadzwa Chikoo, Richard Sigauke, Senford Chagwiza, Annamercy Maposa and Florence Unzemwoyo have benefited from this noble scheme.
‘’We have incentivised athletes to soar like eagles through availing scholarships and it is paying dividends,’’ said the deputy head, Mr Makuyana.
He went on to say: ‘We have had marginal improvements in passrates at both ‘O’ and ‘A’ Level, but it is still work in progress. From 16 to 18 percent and 75 to 82 percent at ‘O’ and ‘A’ level respectively, we solemnly believe, the upward trend will continue for this year and years to come.’’
A child friendly school On entering the school environs, one is greeted by an atmosphere of friendliness and the teachers contribute in a huge way to the camaraderie which is evident through deliberate policies. For example, the girl child is a species greatly protected.
‘’ We make sanitary pads. If a girl needs it, we assist. Again, there are sets of uniforms which are on hand to give girls who may come across a mishap when they are here. They would wash the affected clothes and change when they go back home, ‘’ Ms Muriel Khosa, a senior teacher, who teaches Clothing Technology, said.
To enhance child rights, drama, role play, quiz competitions and public speaking events are engendered.
‘’In line with modern trends of education, we established a Child Protection Committee and a suggestion box,’’ Mr Lovemore Mashava, a senior teacher and poet, said.
Challenges
There are 541 students at the school and the number keeps growing. With that in mind, several challenges need to be surmounted if the school has to remain up there among the best.
‘’We are running short of classrooms. We need furniture, textbooks especially ‘A’ Level ones and those that are in line with the updated curriculum,’’ said Mr Khosa.
As fees are irregularly paid, financing those projects is a herculean task, but the school is determined to make a mark.
Mr Makuyana chipped in and said: ‘The new curriculum emphasizes STEAM. Therefore, we have to build two more laboratories in order to make Science teaching friendly to students. We have a computer laboratory, but the number of computers is not enough. Technology is the in-thing these days.’’
The future
In three years time, Ratelshoek High School will celebrate 50 years of its existence. Teachers and the administration are excited.
A former student who is now the SDC chairperson, Mr Hurukani Jambaya, said: “Ratelshoek continues to grow in leaps and bounds, but we believe more is coming. For starters, we wish to establish the Ratelshoek Old Students Association. A number of luminaries came through this institution and we hope to tap on them for the furtherance of the Ratelshoek brand.’’
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Those who wish to be part of the future can email their contributions at ratelshoekhigh@gmail.com.