Zimpapers Logo

Rumbidzai Mushonga

Youth Interactive Correspondent

A group of innovative pupils from Wise Owl Primary School, recently toured the Zimpapers premises to gain firsthand experience in the world of newspaper production.

The tour was part of a new curriculum implemented by the school, which focuses on real projects and learning in the real context.

The deputy headmaster of Wise Owl’s infant department Mrs Rutendo Hatendi, said the school has discovered that people communicate in different ways, including newspapers.

She said that they wanted their pupils to understand the media process as they love to read the newspapers.

“As a school, we are carrying out a project on different ways of communication and how they impact relationships. We have decided to make an impact, and as Wise Owl Primary School, we want to have a  newspaper,” said Mrs Hatendi.

During their visit, the Wise Owl pupils, primarily from Grade 2, were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the Zimpapers newsroom which includes The Herald, H-Metro, ZimPaper Television Network (ZTN), Sunday Mail, and Kwayedza among others.

They had the opportunity to meet with editors and reporters as they learned and asked about the various roles and responsibilities within the organisation.

“From the look of things, our children wanted to know and understand the process of coming up with the newspaper, especially the articles.

“At such age, the questions they were asking were so relevant and they felt excited with the experience,” she said.

The Wise Owl team’s tour is part of their broader vision to “create a global success”.

Mrs Hatendi emphasised the importance of providing their pupils with opportunities to explore and learn, about their future.

“The generation that we are teaching . . . we don’t know where they will end up in the future.

“We need to give them enough chances and opportunities to explore,” said Mrs Hatendi.

The media organisation expressed a willingness to collaborate with the school and support their newspaper project, ensuring that the young learners can gain valuable hands-on experience in the world of journalism and communication.

The pupils’ enthusiasm and insightful questions during their tour did not go unnoticed.

Of particular intrigue to the pupils, was the process of generating news content, with one, seven-year-old girl, Mukudzei Zebani, expressing her curiosity about how the newspaper is produced.

“I am happy to be in the newsroom today. I have learned how the newspaper is made, and I am going to write my article so that it can be published in the Youth Interactive section.

“Thank you for the opportunity,” she said.

Another pupil, eight-year-old, Munaishe Kabeta, showed a keen interest in being published in the newspaper, specifically in the “Playground Section”.

Kabeta also wanted to understand how artistes such as Holy Ten, Jah Prayzah, and Feli Nandi appear in the paper.

“I love local artistes and I am happy I visited The Herald Entertainment desk and they explained to me, how they cover and interview musicians like Jah Prayzah, Feli Nandi, Enzo Ishall, and Holy Ten.

“I thought they come here and ask to be written about . . . ” she said.