The Sunday News
Ekasi stories with Clifford Kalibo
Continued from last week
IN 1967 the pioneer class was now doing Standard Four with the class teacher being Mr Banda, a clean-shaven dark-skinned man with “Afro hair”. Mr Banda was later to resign as a teacher and join the Rhodesia Railways as a Social
Welfare Officer, and worked at the Sizinda Recreation Centre.
The Sub A class of 1965 comprised guys like Aggripa “Pedro” Ndlovu, Charles “General” Mutiyeteka, Punga “British” Zulu, Lovemore “Boyd” Tembo, George Nkhoma, Josiah Jere, Kasalapho and many others. This was arguably one of the best streams ever produced at Maphisa Primary School.
Most of these guys were later to attend Mpopoma High School, also known as Mvelafundo, the best high school at the time.
Mrs Tenjwana, a small woman, with round eyes and high cheekbones took the 1966 Sub A class. This class comprised yet another group of good scholars, namely, William “Boy” Mayawo, Pata “Lushi” Neta, Meikle “Nduku” Phiri, Silas Ndlovu, Elias, Bigboy, Chemist Dube, Timothy Elijah “Mukorombindo” Gozhora and Imboyera “Davie” Mathe.
This group proceeded to do Sub B in 1967 under Mr Mkandla, a chain smoker who loved Players cigarettes. He had bloodshot eyes and a husky voice. He was a good teacher, despite the fact that every morning he was always in a foul and bad-tempered mood.
In the afternoons after he came back from having his lunch Mr Mkandla would be transformed into a cheerful man and he would be laughing heartily and cracking jokes. It was years later when he taught me in the 1970s that I learnt of his transformational formula that cheered him after lunch.
In 1968 they did Standard 1 under Mr Washington Moyo a very light skinned, obese and bald-headed man. During that year Standard 1 was now changed to Grade 3.
Year 1967 saw a Sub A class that was taken by Mr Alfred Bhunu, an amiable and cheerful gentleman, but who could easily get angry when path was crossed. This class was composed of the likes of Enock Mlalazi, Misheck Kalibo Hankwebe, Josias Malambo, Simasiku, Mnonkela, and Tawu Phiri.
January 1971 saw the opening up of a new block of classrooms, and this was the year that the imperial system changed to the metric system. The old standard of measurement and weight such as inches, yards, miles and ounces, and pounds was changed to centimetres, kilometres and grams, kilogrammes respectively. From pennies, shillings or pounds it was now cents and dollars.
The year 1971 also saw the arrival of younger and fresher teachers at Maphisa Primary School. The likes of Mr Actwell Bhebhe (my Grade 7 teacher), Mr Cain Mkwananzi, Mr Edward Gumbo, Mr Hlabalingene and Mr Killion Sibanda.
The Woodwork teacher as I mentioned at the beginning was Mr Siso. Boys would start doing Woodwork as from Grade 6.
The girls would do what we called Domestic Science, now known as Food and Nutrition, Fashion and Fabrics. The Domestic Science teacher at that time was a slender, dimpled and attractive teacher, Miss Nkosana.
The other teachers of the time were Mr Mapholisa, Mr Nxumalo, Mrs Dupute, Mrs Bango, Mrs Gwebu and Mr Mpofu our music teacher.
The caretakers whom I once mentioned in one of my episodes were Mr Fuyaná and Mr Khumalo, the descendants of Maphisa Mnondo Fuyana. After these two went on retirement they were succeeded by Mr Foreman Khumalo (son of old Khumalo) and Mr Ndiweni.
For the sake of clarity readers are to note the following: Sub A Grade 1, Sub B Grade 2, Standard 1 Grade 3, Standard 2 Grade 4, Standard 3 Grade 5, Standard 4 Grade 6, Standard 5 Grade 7, Standard 6 Form 1.
Such was the beginning of Maphisa Primary School to become a very popular primary school. It has a very rich history by virtue of being associated with Maphisa Mnondo Fuyana. And who amongst us can argue the fact that Maphisa Primary School has produced the “Creme da Le Creme” in Bulawayo?
Till we meet again next Sunday.
Feedback :Clifford Kalibo/0783856228/0719856228/email: [email protected]
