Faith Ndou
CHIVI-Jenya High School in Chivi District, Masvingo Province has been awarded second prize for the best rural Ordinary Level results in 2025 at the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Excellence Awards held in Harare on Saturday.
Established in 1982, the school now enrolls between 560 and 600 learners from Form One to Form Six and is served by a staff complement of 30 teachers, comprising 16 females and 14 males.
The recognition marks a historic milestone for the school as it is its first national accolade since its establishment more than four decades ago.
Speaking to The Midweek Watch, the school head Tinashe Rubaya said the achievement is both humbling and motivating for the school and community at large.
“I feel humbled and honoured because this is the first national accolade for the school since its establishment. It motivates me and my staff to aim higher and even compete with urban giants. We have the energy and zeal to make it. Once success is tasted, what will be left is to ground it and make it a culture at Jenya Secondary,” he said.
Rubaya, who joined the school in 2022 as the eighth head, has overseen a steady improvement in academic performance.
At Ordinary Level, the school recorded a 77.8 percent pass rate in 2025 up from 70.9 percent in 2024.
A total of 63 candidates sat for the examinations with 49 obtaining five subjects and above including 23 girls and 26 boys.
Looking ahead, the school has set its sights on further development projects including the purchase of a 65-seater bus, acquisition of interactive boards and the establishment of a community research centre focusing on organic food production.
“We are now focusing on improving our learning environment and expanding opportunities for our learners. The planned projects including a school bus, interactive boards and a community research centre, will go a long way in enhancing both education and community development,” said Rubaya
The achievement highlights the growing potential of rural schools to compete at national level through strong leadership, commitment and continuous improvement.
