happy 40th birthday to ST PETER’S KUBATANA
CHRIS CROMPTON was deeply involved in the early days of this great school in Zimbabwe. This is what he found on a recent visit
Fr Ray Armstrong’s article in the Spring issue of Jesuits and Friends was particularly depressing for me as one who was involved in this school’s early days. I had arrived in Zimbabwe from the UK in 1968, while I was still in my mid-twenties, with the idea I might help a bit in the Third World. Somehow I had been pointed in the direction of Fr Ted Rogers, and he was willing to take me on. As a recently qualified electrical engineer I thought that my skills would take me into a more practical arena, and it was with some trepidation that I took on some teaching at St Peter’s Community Secondary School. Fr John Byrne, as well as running two busy parishes, was the headmaster under Fr Ted, who was the manager.
The school had been started in 1963 in Harare township, now Mbare (Harare was then called Salisbury). Fr Ted had been commissioned by his Jesuit superior to look into ways of tackling social problems which were building up in the high density suburbs of the capital city. He soon identified a major problem in that many youngsters had nothing else to do but cause trouble. They were town kids who had finished their primary education, but were too young to work; secondary schools were provided for only the top 12 % of primary leavers. He was able to secure the voluntary services of some locals and St Peter’s Community School was born, taking 80 students from out of 250 applicants for a two year course leading to the External Junior Certificate.
Initially the school used the classrooms of St Peter’s Primary School in Mbare once their pupils had finished their schooling for the day. Having got this project off the ground, Fr Ted was already embarking on his next project: addressing the lack of social workers by setting up a training school for them - the School of Social Service. This is now the School of Social Work, a fully-fledged degree-awarding department of the University of Zimbabwe, but how that developed is another story. The School of Social Services was being set up in the old Morgan High School and Fr Ted brought St Peter’s along with him to what were more suitable premises. A drawback was that land use then was only permitted along racial lines. The School of Social Service was open to students of all races, but St Peter’s was for black children. When the government noticed, it debated the situation and recognised the social benefit of the project and, rather than ordering the closure , offered the use of a surplus primary school in the new Kambazuma township. Three schools had been built as part of the town’s infrastructure, but the population would not need them all for some time.
By then the school population had grown and the earlier volunteers had been replaced by local teachers, plus volunteers from the UK - many taking a gap-year between Stonyhurst and University. Soon after I arrived in 1968, in order to relieve the pressure on Fr John Byrne who was suffering some health problems, I was given the keys and told to run the place until ‘something else could be sorted out.’ Fr Ted retained overall management responsibility but, as we were living in the same community house most of our meetings were informal affairs over supper. ‘Sorting something else out’ didn’t happen until my two year stint ended and I handed over to Tim David, back after university for a second time around - his first stint being after leaving Stonyhurst. During that time my engineering ambitions had led us to introducing the first technical courses to which the curriculum is now heavily biased. The Secondary School is now a High School with 1051 students up to sixth-form level.
In the 1970’s Kambuzuma’s population was growing and the primary school buildings would soon be reclaimed for their original purpose. The present 10-hectare site in Glen Nora was taken on lease and Fr Anthony (Jeep) Davis, a great organiser who in civilian life would probably have built up a large international conglomerate, came along to establish St Peter’s in its permanent home. With the move the name became St Peter’s Kubatana - Kubatana being a Shona word encompassing notions of mutual help and co-operation.
Having been in regular touch with Fr Ted since I returned to the UK, and having briefly visited the new premises in 1982 whilst Jeep was in full sway, I was delighted to be invited to the belated 40th anniversary of St Peter’s Foundation held on 25th September. Come the day , the air was full of celebration as we assembled at 10am. Zimbabwe’s Jesuit provincial, Fr Fidelis Mukonori was the guest of honour and principal speaker. We also heard speeches from the High School Head Mr Makimeke, the Technology Centre Principal Mr Wushe and the overall Principal Br Dominic Shoniwa, songs from the school choir, poems from the students (which included tributes to Frs Ted and Jeep) and watched traditional dancing. Fr Ted in his academic robes as Honorary Doctor of Literature, University of Zimbabwe, presented the early history of the school before cutting a specially prepared cake. He succeeded in the challenge of extinguishing all 40 candles with one blow!
An important aspect of this celebration has been to mark a new beginning for St Peter’s now that the Jesuits have taken the school under their wing again. Developments are impressive: a new administration block is nearing completion and a house is being built for the Jesuit community. The problem of the shortage of chairs that Fr Ray’s earlier article mentioned has been solved, with the help of overseas help - including money from readers of Jesuits and Friends. They are trying to help themselves but with inflation running at over 300% (down from a high of 600%), they are struggling. However, there is a new sense of hope and optimism in the air at St Peter’s Kubatana. Long may it increase.
Fr Ray Armstrong’s article in the Spring issue of Jesuits and Friends was particularly depressing for me as one who was involved in this school’s early days. I had arrived in Zimbabwe from the UK in 1968, while I was still in my mid-twenties, with the idea I might help a bit in the Third World. Somehow I had been pointed in the direction of Fr Ted Rogers, and he was willing to take me on. As a recently qualified electrical engineer I thought that my skills would take me into a more practical arena, and it was with some trepidation that I took on some teaching at St Peter’s Community Secondary School. Fr John Byrne, as well as running two busy parishes, was the headmaster under Fr Ted, who was the manager.
The school had been started in 1963 in Harare township, now Mbare (Harare was then called Salisbury). Fr Ted had been commissioned by his Jesuit superior to look into ways of tackling social problems which were building up in the high density suburbs of the capital city. He soon identified a major problem in that many youngsters had nothing else to do but cause trouble. They were town kids who had finished their primary education, but were too young to work; secondary schools were provided for only the top 12 % of primary leavers. He was able to secure the voluntary services of some locals and St Peter’s Community School was born, taking 80 students from out of 250 applicants for a two year course leading to the External Junior Certificate.
Initially the school used the classrooms of St Peter’s Primary School in Mbare once their pupils had finished their schooling for the day. Having got this project off the ground, Fr Ted was already embarking on his next project: addressing the lack of social workers by setting up a training school for them - the School of Social Service. This is now the School of Social Work, a fully-fledged degree-awarding department of the University of Zimbabwe, but how that developed is another story. The School of Social Services was being set up in the old Morgan High School and Fr Ted brought St Peter’s along with him to what were more suitable premises. A drawback was that land use then was only permitted along racial lines. The School of Social Service was open to students of all races, but St Peter’s was for black children. When the government noticed, it debated the situation and recognised the social benefit of the project and, rather than ordering the closure , offered the use of a surplus primary school in the new Kambazuma township. Three schools had been built as part of the town’s infrastructure, but the population would not need them all for some time.
By then the school population had grown and the earlier volunteers had been replaced by local teachers, plus volunteers from the UK - many taking a gap-year between Stonyhurst and University. Soon after I arrived in 1968, in order to relieve the pressure on Fr John Byrne who was suffering some health problems, I was given the keys and told to run the place until ‘something else could be sorted out.’ Fr Ted retained overall management responsibility but, as we were living in the same community house most of our meetings were informal affairs over supper. ‘Sorting something else out’ didn’t happen until my two year stint ended and I handed over to Tim David, back after university for a second time around - his first stint being after leaving Stonyhurst. During that time my engineering ambitions had led us to introducing the first technical courses to which the curriculum is now heavily biased. The Secondary School is now a High School with 1051 students up to sixth-form level.
In the 1970’s Kambuzuma’s population was growing and the primary school buildings would soon be reclaimed for their original purpose. The present 10-hectare site in Glen Nora was taken on lease and Fr Anthony (Jeep) Davis, a great organiser who in civilian life would probably have built up a large international conglomerate, came along to establish St Peter’s in its permanent home. With the move the name became St Peter’s Kubatana - Kubatana being a Shona word encompassing notions of mutual help and co-operation.
Having been in regular touch with Fr Ted since I returned to the UK, and having briefly visited the new premises in 1982 whilst Jeep was in full sway, I was delighted to be invited to the belated 40th anniversary of St Peter’s Foundation held on 25th September. Come the day , the air was full of celebration as we assembled at 10am. Zimbabwe’s Jesuit provincial, Fr Fidelis Mukonori was the guest of honour and principal speaker. We also heard speeches from the High School Head Mr Makimeke, the Technology Centre Principal Mr Wushe and the overall Principal Br Dominic Shoniwa, songs from the school choir, poems from the students (which included tributes to Frs Ted and Jeep) and watched traditional dancing. Fr Ted in his academic robes as Honorary Doctor of Literature, University of Zimbabwe, presented the early history of the school before cutting a specially prepared cake. He succeeded in the challenge of extinguishing all 40 candles with one blow!
An important aspect of this celebration has been to mark a new beginning for St Peter’s now that the Jesuits have taken the school under their wing again. Developments are impressive: a new administration block is nearing completion and a house is being built for the Jesuit community. The problem of the shortage of chairs that Fr Ray’s earlier article mentioned has been solved, with the help of overseas help - including money from readers of Jesuits and Friends. They are trying to help themselves but with inflation running at over 300% (down from a high of 600%), they are struggling. However, there is a new sense of hope and optimism in the air at St Peter’s Kubatana. Long may it increase.