MIDWEEK REPORTER
MASVINGO CITY-One of the most famous teachers in Masvingo Province, Henry Maregere (65), has traded chalk with a hoe as he retires from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.
Maregere, who joined the Education Ministry in 1985 is retiring from teaching and his last station was Masvingo City Council run Francis Aphiri Primary School where he was the head since 2015.
Francis Aphiri which is in Mucheke West is the biggest primary school in Masvingo Province with an enrolment of 2 700 learners and one of only three schools with two deputy heads.
“I am leaving teaching after serving for almost four decades and my immediate plans are to venture into farming at my plot in the Roy area.
“I will concentrate on cattle, horticulture and maize farming especially green mealies, I have a passion for farming and I believe I will do well in that field. Unless something big comes up, for now I will concentrate on farming,” the veteran administrator told The Midweek Watch in a wide ranging interview.
Maregere is from Maregere Village under Chief Nyajena in Masvingo District and is married and the couple is blessed with three daughters.
He went to Nyamande and Chitakaye primary schools before enrolling for his secondary education at the iconic Dadaya Mission in Zvishavane.
After secondary education he enrolled at Masvingo Zintec to train as a primary school teacher.
“Back then teaching was by calling and it was one of the top professions in the country, not these days where one joins the profession because there is no other option. During our days it was the profession of choice and one would be looking forward to educate the nation,” said Maregere with a chuckle.
He qualified in 1985 and started teaching at Marinjokonjo and Chitando primary schools both in Gutu District.
In 1987 he was transferred to Masvingo Barracks Primary and later promoted to the post of deputy head at Masvingo Municipality run Dikwindi Primary and also went to Mashaba Government Primary in the same capacity.
Through parental request he went back to Dikwindi and later Victoria Junior Primary and moved to Makoho Primary near Renco Mine after being promoted as head and lastly to Francis Aphiri in 2015 until the time of retirement.
During his tenure as a teacher, he was also a keen volleyball trainer and won many accolades at provincial and national level with his teams at various schools that he taught.
Maregere joined Francis Aphiri when there were 1 400 learners and 46 teachers, but now there are 2 700 pupils and 77 teachers and he attributes this to the catchment area especially Victoria Ranch where there are no public schools.
“One of the biggest challenges at Francis Aphiri is the catchment area where most of the parents who stay in Victoria Ranch are just short term tenants while the houses are under construction and most of them do not value education for their children.
“They just take their children to school because they are afraid of being prosecuted by the Social Welfare Department, but to them it is of no value going to school hence they do not pay levies which affect the smooth running of the school.
“All the same I would like to pay tribute to most of the parents for their cooperation in taking the schools to the next level, they have been extremely supportive and without their support we could have not done much.
“I also want to thank my team for the dedication to duty despite working under very difficult circumstances and the learners for the results that they continue to produce despite serious shortages of textbooks,” said Maregere.
To show the good working relationship between him and parents, they organised one of the biggest farewell parties for a school head in the province, where they donated various goodies including chickens, cattle, sheep and goats.
The farewell party was graced by Masvingo District Schools Inspector, Ishamel Chigaba who was the guest of honor.
In 2015 there were 18 classrooms and now there are 25 of them, but Maregere says they are still not enough as the more they build, the more the enrolment goes up.
Maregere added that there are big plans that he started for school, where they are in the process of building a separate infant school with standalone staff to reduce congestion at the main school.
