Beverly Bizeki
Helen McGhie Government Primary School in Masvingo has taken a significant step in integrating technology into teaching, with members of the teaching staff now proud owners of laptops for classroom instruction. This move marks a departure from traditional chalkboards.
The teachers received their gadgets on November 17 during the school’s 2023 speech and prize-giving day ceremony, where outstanding learners and staff were recognized for their commendable efforts.
Sheila Deve, the school head, emphasized that the laptops are school property and are designated exclusively for teaching and learning purposes. The school has future plans to equip every classroom with interactive boards, with the laptops serving as the initial phase toward achieving that goal.
“The laptops that the teachers have received are school property and are not for personal use. They are intended for teaching and learning purposes from Early Childhood Development (ECD) up to Grade 7. Our goal for next year is to install interactive boards in every classroom. This will allow teachers to make use of the laptops, access the school’s Wi-Fi, and ensure that every learner can engage with ICT during school hours.
“We started procuring the laptops in May, stockpiling them for distribution at the end of the year. The interactive board project will commence next year, starting with Grade seven classes and gradually extending to the lower grades,” she explained.
Deve highlighted that the laptops were purchased using funds generated from the school’s various fundraising initiatives, including bus hiring.
“The laptops were acquired using proceeds from bus hiring and commissions earned by the school, not from school levies. The school administration is considerate of parents’ challenges and supports them through various fundraising projects,” Deve stated.
Non-teaching staff members were also recognized during the prize-giving day. They received satchels and monetary tokens of appreciation for their dedicated work throughout the year.
Helen McGhie boasts two state-of-the-art computer labs—one for infants and another for higher grades—fully equipped with ICT tools for educational purposes. The school has also acquired two vehicles, a Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Hiace, with the assistance of government.
Helen McGie achieved impressive results, securing a clean 98.5 percent pass rate in the ZIMSEC 2022 examinations. The school now anticipates achieving a 100 percent pass rate this year.
