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Forgive Marimbita Cool Lifestyle Correspondent
For many schools and colleges, the issue of a prefect just having several badges or a different uniform from other students’ is now a thing of the past. The role of a prefect has evolved over time and is now viewed as a unique opportunity to develop leadership and interpersonal skills for those selected.

Becoming a prefect is one of the privileges a pupil acquires while in school and holds an advantage for one in the future.

It has been discovered that most leaders in life and successful business people once held positions of responsibility while they were still in school. Mentioning in your CV that you were once a prefect during your school days enhances one’s chances of employment.

Zoe Counselling and Training Centre Trust (Zoe Trust) has developed a high quality programme to support students selected into the esteemed positions for them to acquire leadership skills for effective performance.

Last week, the organisation trained Murewa High prefects at their school premises in a one-day training session.

The main facilitator, Fungai Jawet Gwiriri, stood up to the occasion to impart knowledge to both the prefects and staff members present on several issues which included roles and duties of a prefect, conflict resolution, assertiveness, team work and team building.

He challenged them to live a life that even if they give orders to other students, they will take them without questioning their integrity.

He also challenged them to live as role models to their peers in line of their motto for the day: “This school is better with me”.

“As students we were given a feel of team work when we went through team building activities which created a lighter moment for all of us from the beginning to the end.”

The activities invoked to create a team spirit, share ideas, work together and know that failure by one member of the body is failure of all. By the end of the training every participant including staff members were awarded certificates of attendance in leadership skills by the organisation in a colourful ceremony presided by the headmaster of the school, Mr Shepherd Chipindiku, his deputy Mr Kapumha and Zoe Trust director.

In his remarks the deputy head who is also the patron of the prefects body said that Zoe had done an exceptionally excellent work, adding that had he known, he would have allocated the organisation two days.

Vongai Madzima, a Form 4 student said, the training was developmental.

“I wasn’t aware of my duties but now I am fully equipped to go and relate with my peers and I feel I am now a new person.

“I am now confident to become a good ambassador for the school,” she said.