FBC Bank limited recently launched a $10,000.00 donation in schools that qualified for the prestigious Secretary’s Merit Award. The Secretary’s Merit Award is an award that recognizes the academic excellence of primary and secondary schools in all the 10 provinces country-wide.
FBC has made education the cornerstone of the company’s corporate social responsibility programmes.
The donation will go towards the purchasing of e-learning equipment consisting of 45 laptops, a standard projector, interactive board and a whiteboard.
“These awards have been in existence for a number of years now, and they recognize the academic excellence of primary and secondary schools in all 10 country-wide provinces,” said FBC Holdings Head of Group Marketing, Priscilla Sadomba.
“ I am glad to reiterate that the best performing schools in the national exams are rewarded with the most esteemed Secretary’s Merit Award,” added Sadomba.
Sadomba also said the bank partnered with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education as a way of ploughing back into the community.
“ As FBC, we are not just here this year as a sponsor and we are not just here this year , but we are here as an institution that has committed itself to education as our corporate social responsibility initiative. This is our gift to the nation of Zimbabwe, she said. The bank’s core value is lifelong learning.”
“We always strive to promote sustainable development in the education sector. It is for this reason that we always feel obliged to give back to the community through partaking in valuable community based initiatives such as the Secretary’s Merit Award,” Sadomba said.
The award is only given to two schools in each province one primary and one secondary school.
In Manicaland, John Cowie Primary School and Mavhudzi High School walked away with the coveted prize money of $10,000.00 each. Other schools include Mazowe High School in Mashonaland Central and Mhondoro Ngezi High School in Mashonaland West.
The Secretary’s Merit Award is the highest academic accolade conferred to schools that have exuded the highest standards of excellence.
Areas adjudicated included effectiveness and implementation of education policies and programmes, demonstration of quality learner exit profile, effective collaboration with stakeholders, broad and balanced inclusive curriculum, implementation of non-formal education, adequate and well maintained infrastructure, sustainable income generating projects as well as providing an optimal teaching and learning environment.
Primary and secondary Education Permanent Secretary Dr Sylvia Utete Masango urged the schools to continue promoting education for all.
“Only yesterday we were at Mavhudzi High School celebrating excellence and today we are here at John Cowie Primary School to recognize and celebrate the same. Chokwadi zvikomo zvinopanana mhute( Success is contagious). True, it could not have been said any better,” Dr Sylvia Utete Masango remarked.
Utete Masango urged all headmasters to strive to leave a legacy in their schools.
“It is incumbent on every school head worthy the name to strive to leave a legacy. Remember the prowness of a school is measured by the extent to which a school creates the best possible environment for effective learning and the level of learning and the level of learning outcomes that are achieved by the learners,” she said.
The Financial Gazette 06-12 July 2017
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