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Luthando Mapepa Chipinge Correspondent
Former pupils should plough back into communities that host schools that nurtured them to enhance local development, Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) lecturer of philosophy and religious studies Professor Fortune Sibanda has said.

He was speaking during a handover of state-of-the-art white boards to his former school, Mount Selinda High in Chipinge, on Monday.

Prof Sibanda, who was in the company of other former pupils, said the idea of remembering the school that nurtured them was part of community development and should be everyone’s responsibility.

“The idea of giving back to the community or schools should not be viewed as a donation but a token of appreciation to the mother school. We cannot be donors to the school that nurtured us.

“There are many schools across the world that produce the best minds, but what boggles the mind is that these schools are still lagging behind. We are urging all those people holding senior positions, be it in Government or the private sector, to consider their former schools.

“It’s not all about donating anything but bringing ideas to the schools. We believe if this is done, we can build our nation to become great,” said Professor Sibanda.

Prof Sibanda said the aim of former school pupils was to turn the school into a top digital institution.

“We are the class of 1988 and we are also part of the progression of the learning environment at our former school.

“The class produced some big names in this country, and we decided to find what can we could assist the school with. The school is located in a rural area and we don’t want is to lag behind in terms of technological advancement,” he said.

He said the group consisted of 33 members and hoped to bring more ideas to make Mt Selinda High School great.

The School Development Committee chairperson Mr Ashirai Mutirikwi Mawere hailed former pupils for the gesture and urged others to follow suit.

“The class of 1988 has done a great job by remembering the school. We are not saying donate money or goods to us but as successful former students, we need your brains to move us forward,” said Mr Mawere.