By Brighton Chiseva
GUTU – The Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ)-run Alheit Chingombe II High School recently launched the first smart classroom in the RCZ schools and probably the first in the district.
The classroom has desks fitted with tablet phones which will be connected to a smart board that allows learners and teachers to mirror their screens for everyone in class to see.
The school head, Benson Tagutanazvo, said the commissioning of the classroom marked a significant step in the school’s commitment towards innovation and embracing technology.
“This momentous occasion marks a significant milestone in the journey of Alheit High School towards embracing cutting-edge technology in education.
“The establishment of this state-of-the-art learning environment is a testament to the school’s commitment to innovation, the support of the moderature, the dedication of staff, the contributions of parents, and the community,” said Tagutanazvo.
He said the smart classroom will equip learners with the necessary skills needed to thrive in the technological world and prepare them for the future.
“We believe the smart classroom will not only enhance the learning experience of our learners but also equip them with the 21st-century skills necessary to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
“We believe that this initiative will foster a more engaging, interactive, and effective learning environment, thereby improving learners’ outcomes and preparing them for the challenges of the future,” said Tagutanazvo.
RCZ education secretary Dr. Witmos Mutumburanzou challenged other schools to follow the route that Alheit had taken to ensure that they move with time.
“We have all gathered here to witness the commissioning of the first-ever smart classroom in our schools. The reason why we have school heads, station superintendents, and others is for them to witness firsthand where we want our schools to go.
“Every school should have one, and Alheit has led the way. We have brought Edutech here so that you interact with them, get all the information you want, and establish yours,” said Dr. Mutumburanzou.
RCZ General Secretary Reverend Lovemore Mashamba said the Church was supportive and committed to equipping learners with the tools they need to succeed, saying such developments enabled teachers to deliver more engaging and effective lessons and empower learners to be critical thinkers and problem solvers.
He urged all RCZ schools to embrace technology, saying there was no way they could wish it away but must embrace it as things change and move forward as an institution, quoting the biblical verse of Hebrews 13:8.
“I want to urge all RCZ schools to embrace technology. We cannot run away from technology but must embrace it and move forward. Let’s move with time; all things change, and only Jesus does not change, as the book of Hebrews says in Chapter 13 verse 8.
“All our schools should embrace technology, and Alheit has led the way by embracing it first. Providing quality education is one of our goals and creating an environment that allows for the unlocking of talents in our learners,” said Mashamba.
He went on to thank Edutech for partnering with the church and bringing the smart classroom and called upon all other stakeholders to come on board.
“I want to thank Edutech for partnering with RCZ to promote the church’s goal of providing quality education. I call on all others who want to partner with us to come on board and ensure we reach our vision.”
The Edutech representative, Luke Musambasi, said the smart classroom allows the school authorities, parents, and anyone who is logged on to the internet and given access to watch the lesson proceedings in real time.
“The smart board has a camera that can record whatever is happening in the class, and parents or other responsible authorities can watch the whole lesson in the comfort of their homes. It also allows learners to connect their tablets to the board, and everyone in the class can see whatever they will be doing on their computer.
He also urged other schools to emulate what Alheit had done, saying they had several promotions that they were running for schools, including taking school heads and teachers on international tours where they would learn digital skills.
One of the RCZ school heads, Raymond Ndega of Chibi, said Alheit had led the way and they were following, saying the smart classroom was the in thing if schools were to move with time.
“We have come here to witness and emulate the technological tools that we can use as schools, and as Chibi, we are going to emulate this because nowadays our learners are more advanced, and they need this if we want them to succeed.
The smart board can record every lesson and store it in the school’s main server, and the recordings can be used anytime. Classes can also interconnect, and one class can learn what is happening in the other class without leaving theirs.
