31 March, 2022
Dear MCC Family
Our identity
2022 is the Year of Re-establishing Our Identity. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us of our true identity in Christ. This theme reminds us who we are in Christ. We are more than conquerors, children of God, a royal priesthood, joint heirs with Christ, and so much more by the grace of God. We look forward to staff, students and parents joining us on this incredible journey to rediscover our individual identity based on the love that Christ has bestowed upon us.
It is our desire that all parents and students are able to align with the reality that we offer a holistic education which makes our students marketable internationally and locally. The education we give our students goes beyond the classroom and is aimed at developing a complete adult capable of competing in a variety of environments and cultures. Whilst academic results are very important, we stress the role of character building in the eventual success of our students when they ultimately embark on their career of choice.
Our Vision is:
- To educate students from a Christian perspective in a Christian environment for responsible adulthood (Proverbs 22:6)
- To equip students with life skills for further education, work and service, through sound teaching and learning techniques, aimed at achieving effectiveness and excellence (Ephesians 4:11-15)
3. To impact students and the community with Christian values through motivated, committed, highly qualified teachers (Isaiah 55:4-6)
Based on our foundation as a Christian school we seek to develop a set of key skills in all our students that allow them to maximise the many opportunities they will be presented with as adults. It is key that each child leaves the College as a responsible citizen of his/her country as well as being a citizen of the world, with good character, critical thinking, creativity, the ability to work in collaboration with others and being able to communicate effectively. Our desire is to develop adults who are both internationally adaptable and locally relevant.
Academic Results
Our 2021 Cambridge results have evidenced the quality education that our institution has continued to offer even under lockdown conditions. The results below were achieved in a year when students spent 6 of the 10 months leading up to exams learning virtually. Veni, vidi, vici (I came, I saw, I conquered) could easily ring out from our Eagles as they take in these results but we remind them of the words in Zechariah “not by power, not by might but by my spirit says the Lord”. We give the Lord all the glory for these wonderful results.
Pass Rates
IGCSE – 89% (72 A*s, 137 As and 164 Bs)
AS Level – 98% (23 As and 25 Bs)
A Level – 96% (11 A*s, 29 As and 32 Bs)
Sport & Culture
We are grateful for the opportunity to have started playing sport. Tennis fixtures against Falcon, CBC, Petra and Rydings, Basketball fixtures against CBC and Petra, cricket fixtures against Petra, Goldridge and Rydings, as well as Volleyball against St Georges and Dominican Convent allowed the students to experience a normal school term. We also managed to successfully stage our inter-house cross country and interhouse athletics competitions.
The College hosted the Midlands and Masvingo Eistedford. Our own band and choir scored very highly both receiving Honours awards for their performances. Our pupils scooped a total of 2 Honours Awards, 8 First Class Plus Awards, 12 First Class Awards, 1 Second Class Plus Award and 4 Second Class Awards.
Our Headboy and Headgirl participated in the Southern Africa debating competition representing Zimbabwe with Sharon also being chosen to represent Zimbabwe at the Oxbridge Debating Championship in London. Unfortunately her visa only came out when the event was already underway she was not able to travel. Thank you to those who contributed money towards her trip, we shall advise in due course what alternative worthy cause we intend to allocate these donations to.
We also congratulate the team that competed in the French Spelling Brawl with MCC placing second out of the 6 compete teams.
Marketing
The enrolment drive for 2023 is now well underway and several engagements with potential parents and students were arranged in a few towns and cities across the country. Over 500 students and parents were engaged physically and over 5000 engaged online. We look forward to a positive response to these engagements. We thank those parents who contributed by marketing our various events to family, friends and colleagues and encourage more parents to avail themselves to the cause of marketing the College to their contacts. Our teams of accomplished Eagles and staff did a splendid job in marketing the College to potential students and their parents.
Parental Engagement
The College maintained the stance on open engagement with parents. We have a common interest in the progress of the students with our parents and we encourage parents to continue engaging with us on a regular basis. We have continued to host parents through our start of term engagements and hope to meet more parents both virtually and physically over the next few months.
Part of our engagement with parents is through the Parents Assembly Committee. This is a team of dedicated volunteer parents who are chosen by parents every year during the Annual General Meeting. The Parents Assembly Annual General Meeting was held on 10 February 2022. The following were elected as members of the Parents Assembly Committee (PAC). After the AGM, the PAC met and agreed on the following office bearers:
Mr Alfred Mpepu – Chairman
Mr Robert Tombindo – Vice Chairman
Ms Helen Michael – Secretary
Mr Simon Tivavenge – Treasurer
Mrs Memory Chakanyuka- Member
Mrs Ruby Tombindo- Member
Mr Edmond Makope- Member
Mr Lovemore Machipisa- Member
Mrs Unity Wenga- Member
Mr Edwin Shumba- Member
Mr Martin Shone- Member
Mr Ushe Mungaraza- Member
Mr Thabani Mashava- Member
Ms Shauntelle Reggo – Member
The PAC has set itself the task of raising funds for the USD1,3 million state of the art resource centre. The PAC will soon be embarking on engagements with the rest of the parents to agree the best ways to raise the required funds. We urge all parents to participate in these engagements to avoid surprises being presented to them after agreement by the rest of the parent body.
Next term will see the launch of our Themed Pop-up Restaurant at the Pavilion. On the last day of term the PAC team will be marketing this concept as well as selling tickets for the launch event and all parents are encouraged to purchase tickets. The theme for the first event on 3 May will be in honour of mothers. We applaud the PAC for this initiative that will foster the concept of family and community whilst raising some funds towards the building of the resource centre.
I would also like to stress that parents play a vital role in the financial health of the College. Without timeous payment of fees it is difficult for the College to run successful programs. We are always accommodating when parents wish to make payment plans and ask that parents keep to the commitments made in these payment plans. Your financial contribution through fees payments should be viewed as an investment in the future of your beloved children.
Student Discipline
As with all schools student discipline is necessary for the success of our students. We wish to highlight that where we are dealing with teenagers unfortunately there will be some who try and stretch the ability of the system to enforce rules. We would like to encourage parents to work with the school in order to teach our Eagles adherence to rules which is a very important lesson they need to learn.
Due to the incidence of indiscipline we have experienced during the year so far we have toughened our sanctions to deter students from undesirable behaviour. After ensuring that students have paid for their misdemeanours, we support them emotionally through our counselling department. The objective is for us to develop responsible adults who understand the relationship between consequences and grace. We look forward to working in partnership with parents in this area. It takes a village to raise a child.
Celebrating a life well lived
On Tuesday 28 March 2022 we laid Pastor Micah “Dad” Mpofu to rest. Pastor Mpofu was a legend of the College who touched many lives during his teaching, management, pastoring and board career. All who interacted with him remember a humble man who had so much love and wisdom to give to anyone who was willing to receive it.
Pastor Mpofu joined Midlands Christian College in 1991 as a senior staff member. He and his wife, Elizabeth “Mum” Mpofu served the College faithfully and with distinction. He became part of the school character and became more affectionately known as “Dad” and he was indeed a father to so many. In his later role as Pastor he spent countless hours on the College grounds assisting with various spiritual formation programs and has remained “Dad” even long after his own biological children left the College. He later served as a Trustee of the Midlands Christian School Trust in the role of Secretary.
We honour Pastor Micah Mpofu for his service and dedication as well as for creating history in the College. Our most sincere condolences to the Mpofu family. Absent with us, but present with the Lord! His life was indeed well lived, an inspiration to us all.
Farewell
It is with sadness that we say goodbye to Mrs Chimanga, Miss Bhebhe and Miss Nyambiya at the end of this term. We wish them well in their future endeavours. Miss Bhebhe was a part-time teacher teaching Ndebele and had a short-term contract. Miss Nyambiya was also on a short-term contract helping in the music department.
Mrs Chimanga (nee Somerai) has been in the institution for a long time together with her two brothers. Her first association with the College was through MCS as a pupil in 1990. She joined the College as a student in 1997 graduating in 2002. Mrs Chimanga has been a teacher in the College since 2007 having trained as a teacher in our Teacher Training Centre between 2004 and 2006.
During her time in the College she taught English Language and Literature, Religious Studies and Business English whilst she also coached Tennis and Netball. Mrs Chimanga has been a Form Teacher, Form Mentor, Head of Bateleur house, TIC Choir and Toastmasters, Head of the off campus boarding house Oasis, Head of hostel church, Director Student Affairs and Director Culture & Identity. We will miss her knowledge and expertise in a variety of areas.
Prayer Points
As we look back to the year so far and ahead towards the rest of the year we have much to be thankful for. We are encouraged to pray for the following areas:
- Thank the Lord for His protection in this difficult time. It is not because we are clever that we are spared but by His grace.
- Pray for the visit by the Association of Christian Schools International accreditation team to go smoothly and be an enriching experience for us all.
- Pray for our students and teachers as they plough through the syllabus whilst also taking advantage of the opportunity to learn valuable life lessons which is not easy to do virtually. Let us pray especially for the F1 and L6 students who are covering new ground and need encouragement as the work may seem difficult in the initial stages.
- Pray for all families who have lost loved ones over the few months.
- Pray for all those who are unwell and in need of the Lord’s healing hand.
- Pray for God’s continued protection of all our parents, students, staff, board, management and workers.
- Pray for students participating in national basketball and cricket trials as well as pre-season winter sports tournaments.
- Pray for our country to be completely delivered from this deadly pandemic and for a revival in our land. We pray that these difficulties, as unwelcome as they are, will lead us to a reliance on God’s power and provision.
- For the war in Ukraine and other wars in different parts of the world. We pray for peace and for the Christians in those war torn countries to stand strong in their faith.
Yours sincerely,
T. L. Mkhosana
Headmaster
To Lisa Muchenurwa who continues to fly the MCC Eagles’ flag high competing in and winning the ZTW Chinese singing competition in Harare last week. She won a nice cash prize, and on her achievements in Chinese competitions last year has a scholarship for her tertiary education! We encourage our Eagles to make the most of their opportunities which we make available to them – and this young lady certainly is!
We thank the Parents Assembly Committee for their efforts in support of the celebration of this year’s Africa Day. Our Heads of Hostel are putting together a fun and engaging programme, and a lovely traditional African meal will be served. Note that attendance of the whole programme is not expected unless you would like to, but for those who are looking forward to joining us for lunch – lunch is served between 12noon and 2pm so please plan accordingly, and we encourage you to come dressed in traditional African attire! Please remember your mask and that temperature checks will be done on arrival. Note RSVP is Friday.
