Bulawayo City Council

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Zuluka Ndaba

Motto

"Whatever You Do, Do It Well"

This motto is premised on the school untiring efforts in pursuit of excellence academically as well as in sporting and cultural activities.

Background

Literally translated; Zulukandaba means Zulu (Rain) ka (of) Ndaba (News). A more insightful translation means revisiting the genealogical history of the Royal Zulu Tribe.

The Zulus believe the founding ancestor of their peoples was Malandela who legend believes flew from North Africa in an Isilulu (Balloon) and landed in South Africa. North Africa is long thought to have been the cradle of mankind. While in South Africa it is believed that he had a son Ndaba who later on had two sons Qhwabe and Zulu. It is the latter Zulu son of Ndaba who became the founding father of the Zulu tribe while the former founded the Mthethwa tribe.

It is after Zulu the son of Ndaba that sees the emergence of a strong and powerful Zulu nation- The Zulu State (Amazulu). Rich in military history, this state saw the rise of powerful military generals such as Tshaka Zulu among others. United in one language siZulu the name of the state, the people and language were all derived from Zulu son of Ndaba who became thence titled as Zulukandaba.

The passage of time has seen the name evolve even further and it has now metamorphosed to mean and refer to the generality of the people, particularly the Zulu and their fellow kith and kin the Ndebele who they have close historical links with. The reason for this metamorphosis was in recognition of Zulu and Ndaba the founding ancestors of a nation by their descendants.

Consequent to this amazing historical legacy of the two great founding ancestors of large populations of Southern Africa, Zulukandaba Primary School was thus built to cater for UZulu; the people. This has epitomised the principles of Zulukandaba Primary to their surrounding community, of bringing the people together and uniting them in the same way in which Zulukandaba did, but this time for unparalleled educational excellence all round

Date of Establishment

The school which was established on IMay1992 is located on Stand Number 33767 Entumbane Suburb adjacent to the Entumbane station of the Zimbabwe Republic Police along Nyembezane Road in Ward Ten of the Reigate District. The school is approximately 5km west from the Central Business District of the City of Bulawayo. Its location in Entumbane Suburb is historically symbolical, Entumbane is a name derived from the final resting place of King Mzilikazi the founding father of the Ndebele people who came from Zululand at the height of the Mfecane wars close the mid-19th Century.

School Enrolment and Staffing

The table below is indicative of the enrollment and staffing levels of the school from its inception right up to the current levels.

Enrollment

Grade 01.05.92 01.05.10
1 M 71 75
F 71 63
2 M 56 78
F 75 61
3 M 57 66
F 80 59
4 M 66 56
F 84 46
5 M 58 43
F 74 45
6 M 64 67
F 83 60
7 M 0 44
F 0 59
ECD M 0 38
F 0 22
Grand Total M 372 467
F 467 415
839 882

At its inception in May 1992 the school drew pupils from surrounding schools in Entumbane suburb and thus there were no Grade Sevens enrolled in its initial year. The enrollment of the school has over the years decreased as compared to the years preceding its inception.

Staffing

Year Male Female Total
May 1992 8 14 22
May 2010 3 20 23

From the period 22 September 2008 saw the school come under the stewardship of a female Head for the first time since its inception in 1992. The Headmistress and her competent staff offer a wide curriculum that is consonant with the Zimbabwe Primary Schools curriculum of subjects including; Mathematics, English, Ndebele, Social Studies, Environmental Studies, Religious and Moral Education, Physical Education, Art and Craft, Music, Home Economics and AIDS Education.

Added to this rich curriculum Zulukandaba Primary also offers a wide array of Sporting disciplines and Cultural activities these are also offered at Cluster level and they include:

Football, Netball, Rugby, Cricket, Athletics, Heritage Quiz, Public Speaking, Drama, Music and Drum Majorettes. The school has scored notable feats of achievement in the process claiming several accolades which has seen it in the ascendancy over schools established much earlier than itself.

Achievements and Accolades

The students of Zulukandaba have shone like a beacon in not only academic excellence but also in various extra-curricular activities. Below is a year on year catalogue of some of those achievements:

  • Outstanding Grade Seven Results 1998, 1999, 2000,2003 and 2006
  • Outstanding Achievement in Cricket 2002
  • Merit Award in Cricket 2005
  • Best Performance in Cricket-Certificate of Excellence 2006
  • Merit Award in Public Speaking 2005
  • Merit Award in Soccer 2005
  • Merit Award in Drama 2005
  • Lamsuka 20th Anniversary Primary Schools Rugby Tournament 2010
  • Lamsuka 20th Anniversary Primary Schools Rugby Shield (Tournament Winners) 2010

Composition of Support Staff

Zulukandaba Primary School is a closely knit family which has a wonderful rapport with members of the support staff. Idealising the spirit of Ubuntu has been instrumental in ensuring that not only does the job get done expeditiously but also in a mutually beneficial and harmonious environment. Made out of both professional and non-professional staff there is a qualified bursar and Clerk, caretaker and Messenger as well as two Grounds staff. The roles of these key support staff are spelt out clearly.

Clerical Staff

  • Assist in the enrollment of pupils, collection of fees and levy remittances. Advise on financial issues regarding the school, they keep proper records of income and expenditure and other school finances as well as requisitioning all learning materials, uniforms for non-teaching staff and orders for the tuck shop. They also do financial returns.
  • Apart from transacting the school's financial matters they have the additional responsibilities of:
  • Keeping and maintaining an inventory of all assets in the school including textbooks
  • Assisting in the compilation of information which may be so required including burglary and theft to the police.
  • Corresponding with the school's clientele and supervising the typing of internal school exams and other documents.

Caretaker

  • Is responsible for overseeing the security and safety of school equipment, e.g., tools, furniture in both the classrooms and administration blocks. Apart from instituting minor repairs there is also the task of cleaning offices.
  • Monitors the school perimeter fence and keeps all the keys of the whole institution
  • The caretaker also ensures that security personnel from the council assume their duties and also acquaints and appraises them on their duties within the school. Add to all this there is also the role of cleaning and development of school grounds, ensuring that the fireguards around the school fence is maintained and that the school toilets have appropriate cleaning materials.
  • The caretaker is on duty seven days of the week; he opens classrooms at the start of the day and locks them up at the end of the day. He also reports to the police as he notices anything amiss such as theft and/or burglary in the school.

Groundsmen

  • Are responsible for cleaning the school grounds and ablution blocks daily.
  • They also maintain the school orchard and garden; they assist the caretaker in most of his duties and may at times fill in for the messenger for nearby errands.

Messenger

  • Is responsible for all the school errands-to the Provincial offices, District Offices, Responsible Authority offices, neighboring schools and surrounding business community. He also collects quotations and orders in business shops. Cleans school offices. He may also act in the stead of the caretaker during his absence.
  • He also dispatches and collects mail from the Post Office.
  • The rapport that exists between the staff is highly commendable and their roles are complementary hence ensuring effective service delivery to the community at large. This has ensured immeasurable success when there are special occasions such as Speech and Prize giving Day and Sports Days among other important functions.

Role of Council In The Administration

The city fathers built the school and procured all the requisite material for the classrooms and administration offices. They determine the council levies to be paid. They employ and deploy all the support staff to the school and are responsible for the payment of all non-teaching staff. Council also pays for all services and other amenities such as Water, telephone bill, maintenance, sustenance and reparations of toilets, window panes and burst pipes. The council processes school requisitions, assists in budgetary matters of the school; they also assist in renovations and supplying educational and cleaning materials.

They also superintend over all matters that may affect the smooth running of the school.

Parents and Teachers Association

They are an arm of the council who complement the authority with funds for minor and long term projects; they provide a float for immediate school term needs. The P.T.A also identifies needy and less fortunate children who may need financial assistance under the auspices of BEAM who have an impartial selection committee tasked with assisting these children and their families.

Challenges Confronting the School Over the Years

Zulukandaba Primary School continues to grapple with numerous challenges that were largely related to the economic meltdown affecting the country. These have over the years constrained service delivery. Some of these challenges are:

  • The community serviced by the school has numerous child headed families or those families who have elderly parents who are no longer economically active hence instances of non-payment and late payment of fees and levies affected the smooth running of the school. Added to this is the high rate of unemployment in the country.
  • Lack of a school library and. inadequate infrastructure such as specialist rooms like computer labs.
  • Lack of modern data processing equipment such as photocopier, e-mail and internet.
  • Lack of adequate sporting equipment for disciplines such as cricket and tennis.
  • Poverty within the community continues to be a factor hampering effective learning as some children come to school hungry.
  • Financial aid is not as forthcoming in order to fulfill pressing needs affecting the school such as the school fence which was stolen and has not been yet replaced.
  • The school has been and still is in dire need of a school bus to transport the children to compete in several disciplines and other activities.

Projections for The Future

Zulukandaba aspires to continue being a trendsetter of quality standards overall and has road mapped several projections for the future and these include:

  • Introduce and inculcate a culture of reading by putting up a library.
  • Erect a security fence and install an alarm system within the administration block.
  • Introduction of Computers to all children from grades 0 to 7.
  • Building an Early Childhood Development block, Computer Laboratory, Library and a School Hall.
  • Ensuring that the School tuck shop becomes operational again.
  • Finally the school hopes to engage in mutually beneficial smart partnerships by twinning with other schools in Europe and the Americas for the purposes of Cultural Exchange among other things.
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