Dear Editor
As someone born, baptized, and bred at Gokomere Mission farm, was saddened by the recent strike by the Gokomere High School, form four students at the school. I had to ask myself; why these strikes at mission schools all around Zimbabwe?
In Zimbabwe we have mission schools which were built and run by various ministries from the Salvation Army, Anglican Church, Dutch Reformed, AFM, Pemberton’s Christian schools, and the Vatican City (Roman Catholic Church).
These mission schools were bastions of academic excellence in the years gone by. Let me just mention some few bright minds which passed through these schools; the late Robert Mugabe (Kutama Mission), Dambudzo Charles Marechera (St. Ignatius, Penhalonga), Solomon Mujuru (Zimuto Mission), Tauya Murehwa (Gokomere Mission), Mordecai Hamutyinei (Alheit Mission), etc, etc.
In the 1970s and 80s, entry at these schools was based on discipline and and a functioning ‘ oblongata’. It was not money that ruled at these schools but the will and wish to succeed. Pupils who had poor backgrounds were enrolled and work during the holidays to compensate for the education attained.
So, these mission schools catered for the poor and disciplined sharp minds. Now all these criterion has been removed. Background checks, whether you are a practising Catholic, Dutch, or Anglican, have been sidelined.
Why l mentioned religion as an entry requirement; it was a guard rail of discipline on these mission schools. Now we are witnessing three tiers of power at these schools. On top are the pastoral team, followed by the administration, and lastly the general teaching members.
The three have different agendas which do not harmonize a good studying environment. Their relationship is just akin to the Japanese ‘ Hara-kiri ‘. It is just suicidal, and this is worsened by poor renumeration and perks for teachers.
Those three tiers of power, divide pupils into those groups. Those who are willing to learn and be obedient, have a tier to lean on, bullies also take advantage of the rift among the three, to sprout, and lastly fence sitters who will jump on any side that makes sense to it.
So, these once bastions of schooling are now turning into gangster’ s paradises. Instead of studying the students are busy planning mechanisms to fight amongst upper and lower classes.
These scenarios can be easily curbed if the above-mentioned tiers work as a team and not separate entities.
Unfortunately, the writer of the article brought another sorry state of journalism, when he mentioned another strike which took place at Mukaro Mission, some years back. What irked me was mentioning Mr Aquanos ” Mhazi- Chamakanda” Mazhunga as being the head at the school.
The context which some readers can make out of the last paragraph of the story is ” this Mazhunga guy is prone to strikes”. Mr Mazhunga is a competent and humble leader. His fame began from Soti- Source Secondary, Chiguhune Secondary and Mukaro High, all these schools are in Gutu district.
He then moved from Mukaro to Gokomere High, where he is currently the ‘ Boss’. If the Roman Catholic family doesn’t like his style of management, he was supposed to be elevated to some upper top schools in Dotito, Chimhanda or Rushinga. The incident which took place at Mukaro differ in every facet, bullies at Gokomere, crying wolf for being treated unfairly and highlighting corruption, is not admissible in any court of law.
Bullies have been expelled from the school, and the other students want to be more Catholic than the Pope. Gosh. At Mukaro, the pupils strike for poor food, and it was in 2006-7 period. Just imagine the time of Zim’ s trillions. Mr Mazhunga is a capable Head, l rest my case.
Munhu Mutapa
Bethel Farm- Chumi
Gutu Village.
