The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube, Sunday Life Correspondent
MOSI-OA-TUNYA High School in Victoria Falls is a learning institution of choice in the resort town as it continues to excel both academically and in extra-curricular activities.
The council school, located in Chinotimba suburb was opened in 1982, then Chinotimba Upper-Top at Chinotimba Primary School before moving to the new site three years later.
Mosi-oa-Tunya’s star has continued to shine brighter under the tutelage of ‘‘youthful’’ headmaster Mr Roland Sibanda, whose individual academic and extra-curricular performance has rubbed off on the whole institution.
Mr Sibanda (42) joined the school as a Geography and Ndebele teacher in 1999 where he became Head of Department for both as well as HOD Guidance and Counselling department. Between 2007 and 2010 he was the school’s Senior Master as he was elevated to deputy headmaster in 2010 and substantive head in 2013.
Ordinary Level pass rate has steadily risen from a low four percent in 2008 to 17 percent last year while Advanced Level results have improved from 66 percent in 2008 to 82 percent last year.
Mr Sibanda said his motto is “Everyone has to work harder” for better results.
“For four consecutive years we have been awarded for having the highest number of O-level candidates with more than 3 As. At Advanced Level we have set ourselves a target that if we fail to attain 100 percent, then the pass rate should not be lower than 80 percent,” Mr Sibanda proudly stated.
He said in 2013 three O-level pupils managed to beat an all-time record of 8 As set by a former student, Dr Samuel Shumbayarerwa in 1985, now a medical doctor in Harare.
The three are Tonderai Sibanda who attained 11As and proceeded to Fletcher High School where he passed with 15 points in Sciences and is currently assisting the school in the Science department enroute to Indiana University, in USA, Delmar Lunga who got 10 As and 1 B and later attained 20 points at A-level Sciences at Dadaya High School and is also helping the school in the Science department waiting to pursue tertiary education.
The third one is Ian Ndlovu who after getting 9 As and 1 B in O-level, went on to get 10 points in Sciences at Dadaya High School as well and is also assisting the school in the Sciences department before he goes to university.
Anesu Mapuranga scored 10 As and 1 B last year and is doing A-level Sciences at Fletcher High School.
Mr Sibanda attributed the school’s success to among other things, the support from the community.
“Our secret to success is decentralisation in terms of decision making where the council has allowed us to use our ideas. This has ensured that we do and complete projects in the earliest possible time.
“We value team work by everyone from administration, teachers, parents and learners and this has created harmony and translated to success. We want to thank the community and our corporate partners such as Elephant Hills Resort and Victoria Falls Hotel who have helped facelift our infrastructure,” said Mr Sibanda.
He said their major challenge is non-payment of fees by parents where pay rate is only 36 percent and the school is owed over $700 000.
The school has also Stemitised, with five pupils paid for by STEM. There is a fully equipped sciences laboratory that was recently opened after lying idle since 2000 and can accommodate five classes at any given time.
Mr Sibanda however, bemoaned shortage of qualified laboratory technicians and Sciences teachers. Mosi-oa-Tunya offers internet services to its pupils at no cost to enable them to research.
Being the only public school in the resort town, Mosi-oa-Tunya has one of the highest enrolments of 1 600 learners.
The only other major secondary school is the Seventh Day Adventist Church-run Mkhosana SDA Secondary while others — Dadani College, Elite Secondary, Oasis, Victoria Falls Education Centre, Lulu Academy and the recently opened Zimbabwe Colleges are private colleges. There are more than 10 feeder primary schools.
This calls serious for consideration by the Government, which faces a deficit of 2 056 schools countrywide, to prioritise areas like Victoria Falls when it constructs new learning institutions.
It would interest the resort town if one of the initial 83 school sites already identified for development by Government is in Victoria Falls.
“We are a non-selective school, being the only public school in town every year, we enroll scores of Form Ones with more than half of them with more than 20 points at Grade Seven,” said Mr Sibanda.
Mr Sibanda also concedes over-subscribed classes burden teachers in terms of marking. The old adage that a student is only as good as his master applies to Mosi-oa-Tunya High School. This comes at a time when the recommendations are being made for 1-less than 30 teacher-pupil ratio.
Mr Sibanda completed his Secondary and Advanced Level education at Ekusileni Secondary School in Filabusi and Luveve High School in Bulawayo in 1992 and 1994 respectively.
He completed teacher’s training at Hillside Teachers’ College in 1998 and a BSc Degree in Geography and Environmental Studies with Zimbabwe Open University in 2008. He is also a trained counsellor and worked for Population Services International (PSI) in that capacity between 2005 and 2006.
Outside the classroom, the soft spoken school head has a passion for sport and other extra-curricular activities. He was the Matabeleland North volleyball coach for Youth Games between 2003 and 2007, Head-in-Charge of Music in Matabeleland North Province and chairs Hwange district National Association of Secondary School Heads (Nash).
Mr Sibanda is also a patron for various HIV/Aids Clubs in Victoria Falls and has led his school by example, hence its success.
The school has excelled in a number of extracurricular activities, having won accolades in athletics, soccer, basketball, netball, volleyball, rugby, cricket, handball and even golf.
Mosi-Oa-Tunya has become one of Matabeleland North powerhouses, representing the province in a number of national tournaments. In 2012 it successfully hosted the Copa Coca-Cola and Stella Tanganda Netball tourneys and basketball nationals and is likely to venture into boxing as it is the training centre for newly formed Victoria Falls Boxing Academy which has 25 athletes.
Mr Sibanda said two former pupils Bukhosi Ncube and Ben Musanka are now attached to Highlanders Football Club and Bantu Rovers respectively while Trust Maseko was a marvel to watch at last year’s Region Five Games.
“Besides sport, the school also competes in debate, quiz, drama, dance and music,” added Mr Sibanda.
In 2015 three pupils represented the school in Switzerland and Canada in public speaking.
