-joins drugs fight
MIDWEEK REPORTER
MUTARE-One of the prestigious private schools in Manicaland Province, Jack and Jill Foundation incorporating Rock of Ages Junior and Academy is defying odds as it continues to grow from strength to strength.
It started with only one ECD class but now boasts of over 600 learners.
The multi award winning institution has compasses in Rusape, and Mutare City and it started as an ECD in Chikanga and now has grade 1 to 7 and form one to form six learners.
“We started in 2002 at number 3333 in Chikanga with only one class for ECD and opened another ECD school at 15 Morris Street in Yoevil Suburb and at 81 First Street in town in 2012 from there one thing led to another, now we have a compass in Rusape, number 4 Aerodrome and Third Street up to A Level,” Wilbert Mukarakate the group administrator told The Midweek Watch in an interview in his office.
The junior schools were opened in 2015 and the academy opened its doors in 2022 and these are all registered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
Mukarakate said to keep high standards and produce quality results they strictly stick to 1:25 teacher pupils ratio and they have branded transport to ferry their learners from home to school so that they are not seen roaming around the streets in the CBD which may affect discipline and tarnish the image of the school since they would be in uniform.
The school also provide lunch for the pupils to increase their concentration levels and the learning environment is one of the most conducive in the region and this is manifested by the impressive pass rate which hovers above 95% for O and A levels Cambridge and 100% for grade 7.
As a way of motivating the learners Jack and Jill Foundation holds prize giving ceremonies for grades 1 to 6 and Forms 1, 2, 3 and 5 and graduation for ECDs.
The school also embarks on annual educational trips to Victoria Falls and other places of interest lasting for up to six days sometimes.
In addition they hold what they call father and son, mother and daughter and vice versa interactions where a motivational, religious leaders spend the whole day discussing a wide range of topics about life and a s a way of cementing the relationship between parents and their children.
The institution’s director is veteran educationist and multi business award winner Orpah Chikoka with Mukarakate as the administrator, Rosemary Dhunu is the principal for Rock of Ages Junior in Mutare, and Rusape Rock of Ages Junior is headed by Eneri Dzumbira.
All the staff members are professionals in their own right and they execute their duties with a passion as exhibited in the way they handle the learners.
Recently Chikoka won the Manicaland Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce award, Megafest Businesswoman of the Year and CSR Network Zimbabwe just to mention a few.
Meanwhile, the prestigious learning institution has joined the fight against drugs and substance abuse among the youth.
“Recently we held a hugely successful campaigns against drugs and substance abuse by engaging in various activities led by experts in the field especially the police.
“We held a march from John Cowe to Vhengere Stadium in Rusape and in Mutare we marched from Downtown to Miekles Park, old SASU and back.
“We do this as part of our corporate social responsibility and the fact that we have children under our care, it is important that we do this on an annual basis to fight the scourge among the youths,” said Mukarakate.
