The Sunday News
Rumbidzai Mhlanga, Sunday Life Reporter
THE Reigate District Annual Science, Sports and Arts Festival official opening gala was held at Cowdray Park High and Tategulu Primary schools on Thursday.
The festival, co-ordinated by Reigate District, under the auspices of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education was running under the theme, “Nurturing learners’ talent through the competence based curriculum’’. Other activities were held on Friday.
The activities are based on the new curriculum which embraces sport, science, arts and culture, which are key components in the education sector and are an attempt to equip learners with both academic knowledge as well as vocational skills. The festival also emphasised on the need for schools to create an environment where students can fully develop academic, sports and artistic skills.
Mrs Thotha Sikhosana, the Reigate District chairperson, highlighted the importance of the festival.
“According to our new curriculum this should be an annual event. It started three years back where learners have an opportunity to acquire knowledge and showcase their talents in sports, science and arts activities which are now equally important as acquiring academic knowledge.
“The idea is producing a multi-faceted person out of learners who will have many abilities and are knowledgeable both academically and in non-academic skills hence students are encouraged be more hands-on even on their talents in sports, arts and science as there are some who might not be academically talented but doing well in other skills,”
The festival had five Bulawayo clusters, namely Airport, Victoria Falls, British African Township, Entumbane/Makhandeni and Cowdray Park competing.
Winners proceed to the Provincial Annual Science, Sports and Arts Festival as well as the National Annual Science, Sports and Arts Festival. The pupils showcased their talents in activities like beading, drawing, heritage, embroidery, technical graphics and design, design recipe and technology as well as agriculture, including sports, arts and culture. The Reigate chairperson highlighted how the activities help both learners and the community.
“Apart from children identifying with their culture and heritage, these activities tap into new and fresh talent, thereby teaching students to be business-minded, for example those who are good at beading are able to sell their products, thereby making extra cash for themselves even after becoming what they want to be in life.
“Children also learn to find solutions to problems that are already there in the country. This year there is a school that made cooking oil from already available resources. In future these students might be producing more products from already available resources thus solving the problem of commodity shortages,” she continued.
Victoria Falls Road cluster
Northlea High
Baines Infant
Baines junior
Hugh Beadle
Mzilikazi High
Aieslby Pry
Trenance Pry
Newmansford Pry
BAT CLUSTER
Lobengula Pry
Mckeurtan Pry
St Columbus High
St Patrick’s Pry
Sobukhazi High
Mzilikazi Pry
Lotshe Pry
Entumbane Emakhandeni Cluster
Mthombowesizwe Pry
Mtshingwe Pry
Zulukandaba Pry
Manyewu Pry
Ntabeni Pry
Emakhandeni Pry
Emakhandeni Sec
Josiah Chinamano Pry
Airport Cluster
Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Pry
Thomas Rudland Pry
Umgusa pry
Fairbridge pry
Montgomery Sec
Woodville Pry
Indlovu Iyanyathela Pry
Luveve Cowdray Park cluster
Luveve high
Cowdray Park Pry
Cowdray Park High
Tategulu pry
Mahlathini pry
Mkhithikathebe pry
Prestige high
