MIDWEEK REPORTER
MASVINGO-Robert Tizai who scored the best 2025 Cambridge A Level results in Zimbabwe has heaped praises on Riverton Academy founder Philemon Mutangiri for offering him a scholarship to complete his academic studies.
Robert says the scholarship has proved to be a game changer in his life as he is now looking forward to conquer the world by taking up a degree in quantitative finance at Cambridge University in the UK in order to assist micro organisations to approach business as a science.
“I am very grateful to Mr Mutangiri for what he did for me. I had difficulties in in paying my school fees at A Level and I decided to go to a cheaper school and Mr Mutangiri heard about it and he immediately followed me personally on the same day and took me back to Riverton on a !00% bursary. I was so excited to be back at the school that I regarded as home and the best school in the country. I was more comfortable to complete my studies at Riverton than anywhere else,” Robert told The Midweek Watch during an exclusive interview recently.
Mutangiri also concurred and said when he heard that Robert, who was the best O Level Cambridge student at the academy and in the country in Physics, had left the school due to fees challenges, he sprung into action and took him back before he even spent a full day at the new school.
“When I heard about Robert’s dilemma, I quickly contacted my team and personally drove and took him back to Riverton, we could not allow such a talented student wander around cheap schools.
“We have a bursary program at the academy which is open to academically gifted children who may be facing challenges in paying their fees and we always assist so that they complete their education without thinking about fees.
“The bursary can be 100% depending with the circumstances, for Robert we offered him a 100% bursary because he was too gifted, we will not end there, we want to assist him in whatever way possible when he gets a place to study abroad as his wish. This is part of our corporate social values and at one time we had 50 students who qualified for the bursary after excelling at O Level unfortunately we could not absorb all of them, but that goes on to show that we produce the best from learners who come here sometimes as average pupils,” said Mutangiri.
Whether Robert gets a scholarship or not, he is guaranteed of studying for computer science, maths and data science through assistance from Mutangiri in the UK come October when universities open in the island kingdom.
Robert is not only gifted academically but he is also a leader in and out of class.
He was a head boy at Gokomere Catholic Primary School where he did his primary education, junior prefect at Riverton 2021 to 2022, senior prefect from 2023 to 2024 and head prefect in 2025.
He was a junior parliamentarian during the 2024 and 2025 session.
In 2023 he was adjudged the best O Level Cambridge learner in Zimbabwe, and to cap it all in 2025 he was crowned the best overall learner in Zimbabwe in Chemistry and the best across three for Cambridge International A Level.
“Since grade 1 I have been coming out the best but was shocked when I attained 6 points at grade seven from five subjects that I wrote, I cried as I could not believe it, from there on I have been number one until I completed my A Levels. I attribute my academic prowess to hard work, discipline, God and dedicated staff at Riverton. The teachers never stop guiding learners, be it at night or during the day.
“We would start our studies at 3am and finish around 10pm and the results are there for all to see,” said the reigning best Cambridge A Level student in the country.
Robert who hails from Mharadze Village under Chief Shumba in Masvingo Rural posted 11A* at O Level and a B in Additional Maths. A* means he got 90% and above for the 11 subjects becoming the best student at Riverton in 2023.
At A Level he posted 94% in Maths, Computer Science 94%, Physics 93% and Chemistry 96% where he was the best in the whole country.
Robert is born in a family of two, with his young sister learning at Sandringam in Chegutu, Mashonaland West Province.
When his father who is based in South Africa faced financial difficulties due to family illnesses that were draining funds, he decided to withdraw him from the elite school, fortunately Mutangiri came on board and offered a 100% bursary which is likely to cascade to tertiary education in the UK.
“With God’s grace if I complete my studies I want to come back home and start my own business a the same assisting upcoming businesses
to tackle business from a scientific point for example market survey before one ventures into anything in order to avoid shockwaves,” added Robert.
