Below is an extract from the speech......
I warmly welcome our guest of honour, and all of you present on this 15th Prize Giving and Speech Night, where we are gathered to celebrate the successes achieved by our pupils across the curriculum. The fact that you came from far and wide, in large numbers, is a clear indication that the welfare of our college is dear to your hearts. On this special day, I will highlight the major achievements for the year, and I hope I will do justice to all of them. The large number of students, who will receive prizes today, is a clear testimony that this year has been the best year ever for the college in terms of academic and cultural achievements. It was therefore very difficult for me to select the items to include in my speech. However, throughout the year we kept you updated through our newsletters, college website, and Facebook and twitter accounts.
As is customary on this day, I will start by reviewing our academic performance for 2014. I am absolutely delighted to inform you that our students continue to raise the academic flag high, as portrayed by the following results:
At ‘O’ level 37 out of 46 students passed five subjects with C or better giving us an 80.4% pass rate. Our best pupils were Stephanie Elliot and Gwinyai Mushede who both scored 10 As each, five of them being A*. The following students also did very well and deserve special mention:
Rafiq Usupu who got 9 As (4 of them being A*) and 1 C
Brandon Muchenje who got 9 As and 1 B
Natasha Mukucha who scored 9 As and 1 B
Tanaka Daka who scored 7 As 2Bs and 1 C
Rutendo Chisi who got 6 As, 1 B and 2 Cs
Tashinga Mavhondo who scored 5 As and 3 Cs
At A level, we achieved a 97.8% pass rate. 44 out of 45 students passed. Our best student was Trevor Rukwava who scored 20 points (mathematics A, Physics A*, Chemistry A, and Biology A*). This student, ladies and gentlemen was offered a place at Columbia University in the United States. This university is ranked as the 14th best university in the world, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Trevor was selected from 36 000 applicants from throughout the world. It gets better. He was named a Kluge Scholar, a reserve for only the best in this institution.
I thank all staff who prepared the students for examinations because without their dedication, the sterling performance by students in 2014 would not have been possible.
At the Cambridge International Examinations Awards for Zimbabwe held in March at the Meikles Hotel in Harare, Rafiq Usupu was awarded for being the best student in Zimbabwe for Business Studies in the ‘O’ level examinations for 2014.
At the Kwekwe District Prize Giving Ceremony held at Shungu High School, our college came second at both ‘O’ and ‘A’ level to Shungu High School. Seven pupils were awarded prizes for scoring 6 As or more at ‘O’ level. For her outstanding performance, Stephanie Elliot was the best female student in Kwekwe District. At ‘A’ level Trevor Rukwava won the grand prize of the best ‘A’ level student in Kwekwe District. And not to be outdone, 11 of our teachers got prizes for being the best teachers in their subject areas in Kwekwe district.
After the Kwekwe District Prize Giving 6 of our students were awarded prizes at the Provincial Prize Giving ceremony held at Mvuma. The best student in Midlands Province was shared by two students who had 20 points and we are happy that one of these was our own student Trevor Rukwava.
The academic results are a true representation of the commitment of the staff, sustained application by our students and the continuous encouragement by parents at home. To all our students I encourage you using the words of Ralph Marson who said “Do not lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations.”
As strong believers in wholistic education, we view school as much more than the achievement of examination results. We want all students to give of their best across the whole curriculum. In order to do this, the college promotes a culture of genuine enthusiasm with a distinctive flair. This has been expressed among our students in achievements that I will outline in sports, music, culture and service to others.
In sports, our under 15 girls hockey team distinguished itself by having an unbeaten season. We highly commend the coaches for the vast improvement realised this year.
While a number of students made it into the Midlands teams, special mention goes to:
- Kundayi Senderai for being selected into the Zimbabwe Under 16 Hockey team and
- Shailan Patel for being selected into the Zimbabwe Under 17 boys Hockey team.
- Trinity Chigede for being selected into the ATS schools team.
In the Allied Arts Music Competitions the following were awarded honours:
- Vimbai Kasonde, Ruvarashe Sithole, Alvina Makurumidze, Nonhlahla Nyoni, Hillary Makurumidze, Claud Kunaka, Thandolwenkosi Moyo, Ian Nzira and Kuzivakwashe Mlilwana who were part of the Harmony Group that took part in the Africa Acapella Accompanied section.
- Fountain By Faith Vezha in the Drum Solo Category.
In the Allied Arts Speech and Drama Festival our students excelled in Poetry. The following were awarded honours in the Duo Poetry Section:
- Brandon Muchenje and Moreblessing Mahaso
- Tafadzwa Saungweme and Charmaine Mandizvidza
- Vongai Mazorodze and Rutendo Ndemera
In the solo poetry section Chiedza Chabikwa attained honours
Brandon Muchenje and Moreblessing Mahaso were invited to perform in the final concert for Speech and Drama held in Harare. They came first in the duo poetry section and second in the overall poetry section in Zimbabwe.
In Debate our team took part in a national competition were it came fourth. The major highlight was the selection of Mufaro Olisi into the probable national team, which will compete at the international stage in Germany.
In the Girls College Literary Festival Alvina Makurumidze achieved an honours award.
In the Allied Arts Literary Festival for 2015, Chiedza Chabikwa attained honours and she was the best Form 6 student in Zimbabwe for the prose section.
I thank our English Department for the best results ever in the Allied Arts Festivals and hope that our students will continue improving in future.
Ladies and gentlemen, I look with great pride at our achievements at the national level this year. I am proud of our students and teachers. I do hope that the winners inspired other students to take part in these competitions next year. One of the fundamental reasons for our success as a school is the level of individual support that we give to students to enable them to achieve their full potential. This is not an easy task. Our staff go the extra mile in providing extra help after the formal lessons for free. If the concrete benches could talk they would testify to you the troubles that teachers go through with individual children.
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NB: This is not the full copy of the speech