The Herald
Most colonial school names changed
By Hatred Zenenga
MOST Government schools now have new names after the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture completed the renaming of the schools last month.
While the ministry has accepted some suggested new names, many schools failed to come up with acceptable names or change their colonial names, forcing the authorities to impose new names.
The full list obtained by The Herald yesterday show the following notable changes in names: Prince Edward High now Murenga Boys High (named after the Njelele High Spirit that instigated and directed the first Liberation War, 1896-97); Warren Park 3 now Chenjerai Hunzvi Primary (national hero); Mount Pleasant High now Joshua Nkomo High (named after the late Vice President).
Allan Wilson High now Mutapa Boys High (named after the founding father of the glorious Mutapa Empire); Queen Elizabeth Girls now Sally Mugabe Girls High (after the late First Lady and national heroine); Milton High now Khumalo High (name of suburb in which school is located); King George VI now Lookout Masuku Primary (national hero); Townsend High now Joseph Msika High (named after the Vice President).
Churchill High now Josiah Tongogara High (national hero); Blakistone Primary School now Shearly Cripps Primary (named after priest who championed African interests); Moffat Primary now Basil Nyabadza Primary (activist of Chimurenga II); Kuwadzana 5 School now Moven Mahachi Primary (national hero); Morgan High now Joseph Culverwell High (national hero); Seke 1 High now Seke Mutema High (named after chief Seke 1).
Queensdale Primary now Safirio Madzikatire Primary (after the late musician and performing artist); David Livingstone Jr now Guy Clutton-Brock Primary (national hero); Kuwadzana 6 now Maurice Nyagumbo Primary (national hero); Warren Park 4 now Eddison Sithole Primary (named after a veteran leader of the struggle); Gillingham School now Brigadier Gumbo Primary (national hero).
Umvukwes Primary now Border Gezi (national hero); Jameson High now Kadoma High (town name); Fletcher High School now Alfred Knottenbelt High (a former head of Fletcher High); Cecil John Rhodes School now Gweru Primary School (name of town); Guinea Fowl High School now Benson Ndemera High (former Provincial Governor of Midlands); St Joseph’s Secondary now Mqabuko Nkomo High (named after the late Vice President).
Schools were given four months in which to come up with new names that were indigenous and reflected the country’s national identity.
The new names have been forwarded for approval to the Cabinet Committee on Place Names.
Daily News
Row over new school names
24 May 2002
Staff Reporter
A CLASH is looming between school development associations (SDAs) in Harare and Aeneas Chigwedere, the Minister of Education, Sports and Culture, after he allegedly imposed the proposed new names at government-owned schools. Parents at one school protested at its being renamed after Chenjerai Hunzvi, the late leader of the war veterans who led the 2000 invasion of commercial farms in which a number of farmers and their workers were killed.
Schools contacted said Chigwedere had imposed names at his own discretion, despite earlier assurances that he would respect the democratic submissions of SDAs on implementing the name changes.
"Instead, the minister has imposed names of Zimbabwean heroes against all respectful submissions by parents, through the SDAs," said a head at a Harare school. The headmasters said they could not afford the costs involved in changing school names as they were struggling to meet other financial commitments at their schools. They argued that in some cases, they had stocks of stationery under the current school names for the next three years.
Another school head said: "The minister should appreciate the concerns of parents. We are crying out for more financing as we are currently under-funded severely."
Chigwedere, however, said there was no going back on the name changes. He said all government and municipal schools would use their own financial resources to fund the name change programme. He said all schools with colonial names should adopt the new names without fail. Chigwedere said: "We gave SDAs four months to submit their proposals on school name changes, from September to 31 December 2001.
"Some of the schools wanted their existing names to remain and did not submit their proposals, but we are insisting on new names." On the imposition of names, he said the final approval of the proposed new names would be made by the Cabinet committee on names.
But a deputy headmaster at another school in the capital complained: "It is not a question of just changing names. They are overlooking the financial implications on the schools affected. Our SDA will not manage."
Some of the proposed name changes are: Prince Edward High to Murenga Boys' High; Mt Pleasant High becoming Joshua Nkomo High; Allan Wilson renamed Mutapa Boys' High; Queen Elizabeth Girls' High changing to Sally Mugabe Girls' High; Milton High renamed Khumalo High; Warren Park 4 Primary becoming Edson Sithole Primary; and Umvukwes Primary changing to Border Gezi Primary School.