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Masvingo female poet releases 10 poem album

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By Beverly Bizeki

A Masvingo based poetess is set to revive her career with a 10 poems album titled Voiceless which was released in January.
The poet Tecla Mwoyo whose stage name is Miss Tee said the album is one of her first projects for the year with two videos already out.
“I have released an album titled Voiceless with 10 poems as my first project for 2024. Two videos, Voiceless and Valentine have already been released and I am anticipating to release more and finish this album by the end of the first quarter,” said Mwoyo.
In her poem ‘Voiceless’ Mwoyo said she was inspired by her personal experiences growing up which was characterized by a desire to have a voice, be able to express herself, and be heard.
“We can talk about anything and discuss but there are those missing pieces that will always stay in a person’s heart, it can be love but cannot be said. This is what we intend to bring out. The Voiceless is all about how can I express myself out, how can I be heard,” said Mwoyo.
Mwoyo’s poetry is a fusion of poem, music, and act which makes her storytelling unique.
The Zvishavane born poet said she realized her talent when she was 13 years old in 2006 and had a passion for expressing herself through writing.
“I started sharing what I had in me at 13 years old in 2006. I became passionate about public speaking at Gokomere High School and worked as a voluntary arts coach at Pamavambo Primary School after completing my A’ Level.
“I then joined an Arts organization named Gypce headed by Mandla and was privileged to perform poetry at various Arts festival that include Youth Arts, Dzimbabwe, and HIFA. I also became a project coordinator of poetry at Bulawayo Junior headed by Mgcini Nyoni where I exhibited a poem ‘light of today’ at the National Arts Gallery,” said Mwoyo.
Mwoyo took a break from performing as she had to complete her studies and balance between settling in her marriage.
“I took a long break in 2014 and performed on a low key as I had to balance education and later on marriage. I have also been greatly affected by relocating across the nation although I am currently volunteering at Charles Austin Theatre where we have had various projects including drama and shows where I infuse poetry,” she said.
Mwoyo said she is concerned by the girl child whose talent is often suppressed by responsibilities in marriage as well as societal opinions and expectations.
“The girl child faces a lot in this industry as most talents in women are recognised at tender ages and when they reach a certain age are heavily affected by marriages which come with a lot of responsibilities and social opinions and expectations. We need to support each other and give poets platforms to perform as they suit in almost every occasion. Straight dialogue is subjective and as such poetry serves as a solution to some issues,” she said.
Mwoyo is currently working towards publishing a book in March titled ‘Zvirimuhweva’ and has pending collaboration projects with artists like Mambo Guramatunhu, Golden Maxx, Lennox Gondo, Sekuru Soro, and Rosemary Masuku.

2023 Zimsec results: Silveira High punches above weight

2023 Zimsec results: Silveira High punches above weight

By Beverly Bizeki

Located a few kilometers from the Masvingo-Mutare road, the Catholic-run Silveira High School continues to excel on the academic scene, coming out tops with impressive results in the recently published ZIMSEC 2023 ordinary and advanced level results.

Scoring 100 percent at A’ level is now the order of the day as the school recorded another clean 100 percent pass rate for the third time in a row making it one of the best in the province.

Owing to good results, Silveira High has become one of the most sought-after schools in the province and abroad with its enrolment filling to its brim.

In 2023, a total of 116 candidates sat for the exam with the highest student scoring 30 points in Sciences followed by one who scored 24 points in an arts combination and another with 20 in Commercials and 65 learners scored 15 points and above

At ‘O’ Level, the school punched above weight with a sterling 98.43 percent pass rate from a total of 191 candidates who sat for the 2023 examinations.

Of the 191 learners, 188 passed five subjects and above and of that number, 52 scored five As and above.

Silveira which has the best results amongst the catholic schools in the province has been on record for maintaining high pass rates and has been recording not less than 95 percent in the past three years where the pass rate was 96.90 and 98.94 percent in 2021 and 2022 respectively.

The school head Stan Mutsambiwa is walking with a spring in his legs and bubbling with happiness over the results.

He said the good results were a result of good working relations and efforts by all stakeholders including learners, teachers, admin, the responsible authority as well as parents.

“We have good working relations amongst all stakeholders. Everyone knows what is expected of him or her and that is why we have good results. Our disciplined learners and their teachers did well and we continue to work extra hard to do even better.

“We have support from our responsible authority and the parents through SDC, we can never wish anything better than the support we are getting,” said Mutsambiwa.

Apart from academic results, Silveira also boasts of massive infrastructural development aimed at modernizing the school to meet the prevailing standards.

Gutu High records 95.14 percent in 2023 O’ Level results

By Beverly Bizeki

Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ)’s Gutu High School in has once again raised its flag high after recording 95.14 percent in the 2023 ZIMSEC 2023 ordinary level results.
School head Mirirai Mutanda said he was happy with the improvement in results as the school recorded 91.3 percent last year and said was grateful to the responsible authority for the good working environment they availed for the school.
“Our results have improved and I can say these are the results of the hard work of both the teachers and learners throughout the year. The cooperation by the responsible authority and the parents gave us a good working environment which gives us these good results,” said Mutanda.
One of the outstanding teachers Georgina Chirombo who recorded 87 As in Heritage Studies said she was happy that her hard work paid off.
“I am happy with the results that I have attained in Heritage Studies. The hard work I have put in my work together with the students has paid off eventually and I hope that as a school we will continue to soar higher and improve the quality of our results,” said Chirombo.
Another outstanding teacher Rosemary Gunhu who recorded 75 As in Shona said the results were fruits of hard work and recognised the discipline by learners as well as commitment to their work.
“I am proud of the results we have attained although I wish we had achieved more. It took of us a lot of hard work and commitment to achieve these results,” said Gunhu.
Statistics released by the school authorities shows that 206 candidates registered for five or more subjects and 196 passed five or more subjects to give 95.14 percent.
Of the 196, 96 passed five or more subjects including English Language, Maths and Science.
The top scorers at the school obtained 12As each followed by another learner who scored 10As. The school also has two students with 8As, four with 7As, nine with 6As and six with 5As.
The school also did exceptionally well in ZIMSEC 2023 A Level results as it scored 98.1 percent with 92 learners with 10 points and above.
The highest learner, Anesu Chirozva scored 25 points followed by Smuts Vun Machingambi with 19 points, John Madzingo with 18 points, three others with 16 points and eight others with 15 points.

80 learners score 5As up at Pamushana High

By Kudzai Simango

Pamushana High School has done it again as its pupils scored excellent results getting 93,77 percent in the 2023 Ordinary Level Zimsec examinations where a total of 80 learners scored five As and above.
The 2023 O’ level class scored impressive results with the highest Zivei Mukudzei scoring 15As followed by Blessing Chipanga and Exy Jambaya both with 14 As and two Bs each.
On fourth position is Rutendo Chakaneta who scored 14As and 1B and on number five is Prince Mukomondera with 13As followed by Perseverance Basiketi and Tatenda Sithole who both scored 12As and 2Bs.
Other pupils from Pamushana performed very well in the 2023 examinations as they are other two with 11As and 4Bs, two with 11As and 3Bs, two with 11As and 2Bs, one with 11As and 1B as well as five others with 10As and Bs or C.
Six pupils managed to score 9As, 11 scored 8As, 11 collected 7As, 13 got 6As and 19 scored 5As with the English Language teacher Mrs Praise Checheche recording 108As from 96percent pass rate.
Other teachers who did very well include Ishmael Chinganga in Heritage Studies who recorded 78 As with a 96percent passrate and 112 As in History with an 87percent pass rate.
F.R.S.’s Knowledge Makaudze had 93 pupils with As from a 96percent pass rate, Shona Language teacher Deliwe Mukonyo had 90 pupils with As from a 95 percent pass rate.
In Combined Science, Daniel Zingoni recorded 75 As from 88percent while Geography teacher Kudakwashe Mutubuki got 88 As from 87percent.
At A level, Pamushana had 107 learners who scored 15 points and above and the development seems to be a culture as the school recorded 103 with 15 points and above in 2022.
Pamushana high head Agrippa Moyo said the results were a reflection of combined efforts by all the school stakeholders who include the leaners, teachers, the responsible authority and the parents through the School Development Committee.
Pamushana has been a household name and has become one of the most sought after school owing to its impressive results year in year out.
The school is also a sporting powerhouse and its soccer, and netball teams having passed national competitions on countless times.

I use mbanje to cure headaches, man tells police

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By Bright Zhou

A Victoria Ranch man who was arrested after being found in possession of a single stub of marijuana told police that he used to smoke the prohibited herb to cure headaches.
The detectives who did not listen to any of his theatrics dragged him to court where he appeared before Masvingo magistrate Linnet Mudzingo on January 30, 2024 on charges of dealing with dangerous drugs. He was then remanded out of custody for continuation of trial on February 7, 2024.
The court heard that on January 29, 2024, detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Masvingo received information that the accused Talent Mudzami was selling dagga.
Acting upon the information the detectives went to Mudzami’s homestead.
They introduced themselves and a search was conducted leading to the recovery of a stub of dagga inside a cup.
They continued searching his house but did not find any more dagga after which they interrogated him on where he was hiding the rest. He then told them that he was not selling dagga but used to smoke it as a way of treating his headaches.
Detectives told him that he could not use the drug as a way to cure his headache and it was a crime to be found in possession of the drug.
Mudzami was subsequently arrested.
Isabel Pambuka prosecuted.

Masvingo City rescues Una Una, lets down Wangu Mazodze

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Decide Nhendo

Masvingo City Council has approved to rescue Masvingo United FC (Una Una) by paying its affiliation fees but went on to turn down the same request by FC Wangu Mazodze saying the club was privately owned.
However, according to the Finance and General Purposes Committee Meeting Minutes dated January 23 2024, council resolved to allow Wangu Mazodze free use of Mucheke stadium for training purposes once a week.
“Consideration was given to the report of the Director of Housing and Social Services on the request for financial assistance towards payment of affiliation fees amounting to USD3, 610 for the 2024 season by Masvingo United Football Club be granted. The Finance Director be instructed to pay affiliation fees for Masvingo United Football Club amounting to USD $3610 for the 2024 season,” read the minutes.
The same committee went on to turn down the same request by FC Wangu Mazodze saying it was privately owned and allowed free use of the stadium for free once a week for training purposes.
“Resolved to recommend that the request by Wangu Mazodze Football Club for Financial Assistance towards payment of affiliation fees for the 2024 soccer season be turned down given that the club is privately owned.
“Resolved to recommend that Wangu Mazodze Football Club be granted one day per week free use of Mucheke Stadium for training purposes,” read part of the minutes.
Last season both teams Masvingo United and FC Wangu Mazodze FC were sharing Mucheke stadium to host their home matches.
They both failed to get promotion to the Premier Soccer League with Wangu Mazodze finishing on third position with 57 points despite having been log leaders for the better part of the season, while Una Una finished at number nine with 33 points.

Deploying a multisensory approach to managing children with visual impairment (vi)

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By Aribino Nicholas

Children with visual impairment (VI) challenge the micro (family) and meso (school) systems in different ways. They are indeed a social group of children that comes with diverse requirements that impels guardians, teachers and their typical peers to understand and appreciate them as human beings with provision, protection and participation rights. The term visual impairment is indeed omnibus in that it includes persons who are blind and partially sighted. Both blind and partially sighted children are unique and diverse as individual children. Blind children cannot see at all while partially sighted children have residual sight that can help them get by, by using assistive technology like glasses and the dolphin computer access. It is the intention of this opinion piece to take an extended look at the diverse needs and rights of blind and partially sighted children and in the process proffer interventions that may assist guardians and teachers of children with visual impairment.

Blind children do not see at all. They may not have confidence in navigating new locations if they have not received any training in mobility and orientation (M & O). Mobility and orientation training for blind children may include, among other things, familiarizing them with their new spaces by way of taking them to the toilet, library, classroom, school grounds, kitchen, tuck-shop, borehole, administration block and helping them understand directions like North, East, West and South, among other things. Mobility and orientation training can be done by peers, parents, specialist teachers or any other duty bearers. The bottom line of M & O is to help blind children to be independent, productive, confident and interactive with their social and natural environments. Similarly, blind children can be taught to use assistive technologies like white canes, animal (dog) and human guides. There are trained dogs that can help blind children to move from one space to another. In an environment where blind learners have received M & O, animal and human guides may be discouraged. Blind children can also use computers with the JAWS software, talking phones and balls. In any teaching-learning environment blind children can benefit immensely from the use of Braille, buddy system and preferential sitting arrangements.

When a person loses a sense of sight and is clinically declared blind, he or she can largely benefit from the use of a multisensory approach which involves the auditory sense, kinesthetic sense, tactile sense, olfactory sense and gustatory sense. A combination of the above senses need to be deployed to strengthen impact, for example in the absence of the sense of sight, the auditory sense becomes the keen or queen sense that is used to capture environmental sounds, the kinesthetic sense which involves mobility would enable them to move from one area to another, while the tactile sense would enable them to feel objects-(texture-soft, rough, smooth) and the olfactory sense which is the sense of smell would be used to establish sources of different smells (toilet, butchery, bakery, kraal) and the gustatory sense which is the sense of taste would enable them to distinguish sugar from salt, honey from milk, meat from beans and sausages from vegetables. Human senses are mutually constitutive and reinforcing, thence they need to be employed in the management of blind children. When having blind children at home or at school there is a need to introduce them to any environmental changes and to visitors. Environmental changes would be critical for additional M & O training and for visitors let the visitors talk to the blind children so that they can associate their names with their voices. Children who are blind can identify their teachers by their voices or perfumes that they wear, they can even sense their presence even if they have not orally introduced themselves through the power of the queen / keen senses.

Partially sighted children may need glasses, large print, buddy system, preferential sitting arrangements and adjustable desks to help them get by. This social group is not composed of a homogeneous but a heterogeneous group whose diverse and unique needs would call for additional or extra support. Partially sighted children need a lot of light to enable them not to strain when reading. Unnecessary straining of eyes when reading may cause incessant headaches. A teacher of both blind and partially sighted children needs to accompany whatever he or she does with as much verbal descriptions as possible. Partially sighted children need an environment that is supportive, inclusive and promotive of physical, intellectual, emotional, and social abilities in order to boost their confidence. Many a time children who are partially sighted are sequestered.

Most parents of children with VI regard sending their children to school like watering a neighbour’s garden, something that may not be of any economic value for them in times of rainy days, like when they are retirees. The advisement I can give to parents of children with VI is that VI does not affect their cognitive structures. In Zimbabwe we have lawyers, commissioners, teachers, a senator who is blind, academics and leaders of civil society organisations who are blind. A disability in a family, is just like a bent in the road where everything will depend on how a motorist approaches the bent. If nature knocks you down, and you have not been praying it gives you an opportunity to kneel down to pray. To that effect, a disability in a family is a fork in the road that exposes parents to parenting styles that recognize areas of gifting for a child with a disability.

Dr Aribino Nicholas (Gender and Policy Studies Student-GZU). Writing in own capacity.
Contact : +263715617095

Nyashanu High impresses at ‘O’ level

By Staff Reporter

The Reformed Church in Zimbabwe run Buhera-based Nyashanu High School posted impressive results at the just released Zimsec 2023 O’ level results, with a percentage pass rate of 92.4 percent which is three times higher than the national pass rate of 30.19 percent.
The school head Jackson Dunatuna said the results were a reflection of the good working relationship between all the stakeholders mainly the learners and their teachers as well as the supportive parents through the School Development Committee (SDC)
“The results are a result of tireless efforts of both our learners and members of staff. Our parents believe in us and are supportive of all the efforts we are making to improve as a school,” said Dunatuna.
He went on to thank the Responsible Authority for the support and said he was happy with the result considering that the results were his first since he joined the school beginning of last year (2023).
“I want to thank the Responsible Authority for the support they give us as a school and I am personally happy with the improved results both at ‘A’ and ‘O’ levels in my maiden year as Head of this school. There is no substitute for hard work and as our motto goes, ‘VANE SHUNGU VACHAFARA’,” said Dunatuna.
28 learners scored five As and above with the highest scoring 13 As followed by two others with 10 As. Three learners have 9 As and another three with eight.
19 learners, 11 boys and 8 girls sat for computers and scored 100 percent pass rate. 168 learners, 86 boys, and 82 learners sat for Physical Education and recorded another 100 percent pass rate.
Food Technology and Design (FTD) recorded a 100 percent pass rate as well as Textile Technology and Design which were all dominated by girls.
Nyashanu boasts of a number of agricultural projects as well as some infrastructural development.

Makumbe High basks in O’ Level results glory

…As top student scores 16As, Heritage Studies teacher gets 112As

By Beverly Bizeki

Makumbe High School is basking in glory after posting impressive results in the just released ZIMSEC 2023 Ordinary Level results with its top student scoring 16As and one of their teachers recording 112As in the same examinations.
The school head Taurai Rusekeni said he was grateful to the support they get from parents and the collaboration between teachers and learners which resulted in a giant leap from 75 percent in the 2022 exams to 89.19 percent in 2023.
“I am grateful for the team’s hard work in achieving such impressive results. Learners were highly disciplined and parents also supported their children. Above all the team did well in responding to some of the administration changes that we made and this contributed to the great results achieved this year.
“The pass rate improved significantly from last year’s 75 percent to this year’s 90 percent. We are also happy that we have had a learner who scored 16As for the first in the history of the school,” Rusekeni.
One of the teachers who excelled with 112 As in the exams Dziwa said he was also impressed by the results and thanked the school programs for the exam classes for the excellent results achieved.
“Heritage Studies scored a record of 112As and 40 Bs. I was impressed by the results and I believe it was a result of several strategies we employed as a school. We used seminars, workshops, vacation holiday lessons, extra lessons, and above all teamwork. The school administration extended study time to the exam classes and this gave learners ample time to study and as a result, our pupils to exceled in the national examinations,” said Dziwa.
The best pupil Trust Mbaura said he was elated with the results and was looking forward to studying epidemiology (The study of distribution and determinant of health-related states among specified populations) in the future.
“I am delighted with the results I have got, I want to study epidemiology in the future. For A’ Level I am going to take four subjects which are Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, and Computer Sciences,” said Mbaura.
Trust said his journey had been strenuous and urged other learners to remain focused to avoid multi-tasking for success in their academics.
“My achievement has been a strenuous journey and I hope to continue to work harder than before. I faced challenges like getting around negative people, academic pressure, and social problems with people of my age and I am grateful I got over it.
“To fellow learners, I say focus is the power key to success. If you get a chance to be educated, take it seriously because some people are not getting such an opportunity in their lives. Everything has its own time so avoid multi-tasking. Success is not permanent and failure is not final,” said Trust.
185 learners registered five or more subjects and 165 of those passed the same translating to the 90 percent pass rate.
The best female student Rutendo Chidombwe had 10As and 1B.
90 pupils passed five subjects including English and Mathematics while 67 passed the same including Maths and Science. 155 learners passed five or more subjects including English.

Mixed feelings over US billing by City council

By Beverly Bizeki

Residents in Masvingo City who received their first council bills in United States Dollars end of January complained that the charges were too high as compared to the ones they were paying last year (2023) in local currency.
While most residents welcomed the US billing, they say the charges are relatively high of which they were supposed to be lower to promote US payment of rates.
Masvingo United Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (MURRA) spokesperson Godfrey Mutimba said there was a public outcry as council made a unilateral decision over the new billing system and the increase in bills.
“We are concerned about this US billing decision made by council, they made the decision unilaterally without consulting residents. They called a consultative meeting last week where they announced that starting from this month they are billing in USD. We questioned them over why they called it a consultative meeting to make an announcement of a decision already made. This was a unilateral decision made without comprehensively going into the wards to consult residents hence we are not happy because the bills are too high.
“Although they are allowing residents to pay in local currency but the decision to bill in US was supposed to be made with the consent of residents. Residents are not happy and they should probably review their decision otherwise there is a public outcry, residents are not well informed and do not really understand whether the USD bill can be paid in local currency,” said Mutimba.
A Masvingo resident, Lawrence Katenjele said dollarizing the bills meant they now have to fork out more instead of less, which burdens them.
“We have received the bill in USD and there is no problem with the billing, however their rate is inflated. Dollarising the bill has resulted in overcharging. Last month I paid ZWL $254 948 but this month I have paid ZWL $586 867 yet I have no arrears. If you remove the US$18 tax bill on my statement the monthly bill is US$41.28 and that multiplied by ZWL$9 899 does not add up. The increase is unjustified. The figures appear small but when multiplied by their black market rate it is a killing,” said Katenjele.
Another resident Sungano Zvarebwanashe said as residents they were disappointed by the increase in water bills and wished they could revert to the old billing system.
“We want council to operate but if that results in straining the residents then it is a bad idea. My bill is US$30 and this also takes a toll on those that we share the houses with. You would also notice that their rate is high. As residents we wish we could engage council over this issue.
“Usually I would get my bill around ZWL $220 000 (which is about US$20) and it was acceptable but now it has rose to US$30 with the new billing system so it’s better we remain with the local currency bills,” said Zvarebwanashe.
Another resident Entrance Takaedza said the bills were quite high in USD and quite costly for most residents especially pensioners earning about US$100.
“The USD bills are a bit expensive than what we were paying previously and this poses a challenge to some of us who are pensioners earning about US$100. Other residents are vendors and rely on selling and barely get the required money considering they have other bills to pay including medical aids and electricity. We are not happy about the new development usually we would expect our bills to about US$20 but now it is almost US$40,” said Takaedza.
Contrary to what the residents said, Masvingo ward 5 councilor and deputy mayor Daniel Mberikunashe said other residents were happy with the new billing saying such residents understood well how council operates.
“The development has been well received among residents. They do understand how council operates. Almost everything that is purchased at council requires foreign currency and residents must assist council in coming up with the required forex. Because at the end of the day residents want good services,” said Mberikunashe.
Ward 10 councilor Sengerayi Manyanga said the billing system was good as it enabled council to preserve value for their revenue so that they can also be able to pay their workers.
“So far everything is going on well with the new billing system. Nothing has changed as residents are still able to pay for their bills in local currency using the prevailing rate. The idea is okay as it makes council functional enabling it to also pay its workers, purchase chemicals and other material required in council,” said Manyanga.
Masvingo City’s Finance Director Danister Jori was quoted saying council had resorted to USD billing to maintain the value of their revenue as well as enabling residents to trace changes in their water bills.
“Billing of all our services is now done in USD and this is with effect from last week. Residents can pay their bills in local currency using the prevailing interbank rate. We decided to do our billing in USD to preserve the value of our revenue,” said Jori.