By Beverly Bizeki
In a pioneering move to support children of Zimbabweans working abroad, Masvingo Christian College is set to establish a boarding facility that will cater primarily for learners especially girls whose parents have migrated to the diaspora.
Masvingo Christian School head Dr Edison Muresherwa confirmed the development in an exclusive interview with TellZim News, saying the facility will be the first of its kind for a day school in Masvingo and is expected to open its doors in 2025.
He said the initial phase will accommodate around 60 learners, both male and females.
“Our focus is mainly on the girl child. Many children are left behind by parents in the diaspora, and not all families have reliable guardians. Sometimes they are sent to conventional boarding schools, which often have high academic entry barriers like requiring six units. But at Masvingo Christian, the only qualification is being a human being who has gone through the required educational stages,” said Dr Muresherwa.
Dr Muresherwa said while the initiative prioritizes girls, boys were not excluded as ignoring them often leads to vices such as drug and substance abuse.
“The boy child is often overlooked, and that can lead to them falling into drug and substance abuse. So we are accommodating both genders, but we recognize the heightened vulnerability of the girl child, especially in cases where children are left with relatives who may not be trained or equipped to care for them,” said Dr Muresherwa.
Dr Muresherwa said the boarding facility aims to provide a safe, nurturing environment where learners can thrive under the care of trained professionals, particularly those migrating from rural to urban areas in search of better education.
“This is about nation-building. We want to give these children who are often exposed to risks—the support and supervision they deserve,” he said.
Dr Muresherwa said the initiative also reflected the school’s strategic shift in response to a changing educational landscape.
“As a day school, we have run our race. In business studies, we talk about a product lifecycle, we have reached our peak, but now we need to re-launch our product by introducing a boarding facility. The competition has increased with new private schools and colleges in town. To stay relevant, we must evolve,” said Dr Muresherwa.
To support the new facility, existing school houses will be renovated into boarding dormitories. The school is also constructing a new house for the head and has plans for a deputy head’s house.
The school plans to leverage its existing agricultural projects including piggery, horticulture, and a borehole-powered irrigation system to help sustain the boarding facility.
“These projects will not only feed the learners but also ensure the boarding facility is self-sustaining,” said Dr Muresherwa.
