By Linda Ndiweni
Bulawayo- The Tenacity Post joins Carmel School, a school that is a force to be reckoned with, in celebrating its 60th anniversary this year..
Vibrant school colours, coupled with the bright faces of well-mannered children, greet you as you enter the school premises of what has been referred to as ‘Bulawayo’s best kept secret’.
Established in 1958, this Jewish junior school has come a long way. It began with just eight students in a one-room schoolhouse, but now is today a thriving institution with 200 students. Its ethos to provide personal, individual attention to each and every student is one of the many things that makes it special. Not only are students guaranteed individual attention from their teachers, but personal development from Grade 0 is a priority, ensuring each child achieves his or her full potential. .
Carmel has an extremely good pass rate with students achieving grades that guarantee their entrance into the high school of their choice. An experienced staff body is led by newly-appointed headmaster, Mr C. Eley, a seasoned educator with more than 30 years experience in the field under his belt.
The school features spacious classrooms, with each block housing its own ablution facility. Besides the meticulously maintained sport fields, playground and swimming pool, the school also has classrooms specifically set aside for Ndebele, computer studies and Art. In addition the school boasts a well-stocked library.
The school is a wonderful blend of the old and the new: it has retains retained its Jewish traditions, such as the preservation of the Shabbat on Fridays, but has also adapted to the modern world of education by introducing digital projection in the classroom..
Present day Carmel School is a multicultural haven, with children from all walks of life all learning as one family.
Mr Eley emphasised the importance of unity in the school.
“The ‘sense of family’ is what makes Carmel a great school,” said Mr Eley. “Walking around the school there is an undeniable and intimate sense of family.”
