Mutare schools rule the roost at Grade 7
MUTARE schools have dominated the 2018 Grade 7 examinations with the city’s bastion of excellence, Chancellor Junior, maintaining its dominance for the fifth straight year after producing the highest number of candidates with five units nationally.
Chancellor Junior had 28 candidates with five units from the 260 that achieved the same feat in Manicaland province.
The 2018 achievement was, however, lower than its performance in 2017.
In 2017 Chancellor Junior had 39 pupils with five straight units.
The introduction of Agriculture at Grade Seven as an examinable subject in 2017 saw a sharp dip in the number of candidates attaining five units across the country.
Mutare Junior was second with 25 pupils with five units followed Gaza Primary School, in Chipinge, with 20.
Baring Primary was fourth with 18, followed by Mt Mellary (Nyanga), St Joseph’s Primary (Mutare) and Murahwa Primary (Mutare) which all had 17 pupils with five units.
Elated Chancellor Junior head Mr Masimba Chihowa spoke glowingly of the teachers’ hard work, parents, district and provincial education offices’ support.
He said the hands-on approach in the introduction and expansion of an agriculture centre at the school had ensured that students grasped agricultural concepts with ease.
“As a school, we are very happy that we managed to maintain the top spot. I believe this was a result of the hard work and dedication by members of staff right from the bottom. The effort of the deputy head Mrs Tobline Mawire, the district and provincial education offices in seeing to it that teachers are well equipped cannot be underestimated. The parents’ efforts were fantastic.
“I really cannot narrate the story of our success without mentioning the agriculture centre, which has been expanding since inception. It has given our children an advantage by learning animal and aquatic life on site, let alone, the business
MINISTER of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba on Tuesday commissioned three refuse compacters, backhoe loader, four utility vehicles and a staff bus worth about $700 000 for Mutare City Council.
The utility trucks are expected to increase the rate of refuse collection efficiency in the city by at least 30 percent.
Speaking at the commissioning of the refuse truck, Dr Gwaradzimba commended the local authority’s renewed commitment and dedication to improve service delivery in the city.
“It is not surprising to see such positive results coming from civic centre. There have been renewed commitment, refocusing and dedication to duty since the coming of the Joshua Maligwa-led administration,” she said.
Dr Gwaradzimba said the service delivery improvement would lead to the restoration of stakeholder confidence in city.
Mutare Mayor, Councillor Blessing Tandi said council had been struggling to efficiently collect refuse in all suburbs as it had last procured similar equipment more than eight years ago.
“Over the months we have been hiring private trucks which although not suitable for collecting refuse, have helped us a lot as a local authority to mange solid waste,” he said.
The additional fleet is expected to increase the rate of refuse collection efficiency by at least 30 percent as the current collection level stands at 60 percent.
Cllr Tandi said the procurement of the trucks was a fulfilment of their 100 day plan to re-align service delivery.
“I am very proud to inform you that we have already met part of our 100 day plan in line with the central Government’s initiative. Moreover, the refuse trucks have been delivered at a time when the city is in dire need of enhancing solid waste management because of the cholera outbreak that has hit the nation,” he said.