ANGLICAN mission school, Daramombe High School, raised the Zimbabwe’s flag high after outflanking schools from Botswana and Swaziland in a quiz competition held last week.
The National School Quiz Championships (NSQC) was held from December 2 to 3 at the Gaborone International School in Botswana.
The NSQC competition, considered as the most widely televised academic tournament and is broadcast in over 80 countries since inception, was making a return after a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Zimbabwe’s sole representative, Daramombe’s students showed their academic prowess as they topped the competition to get the US$45 000 scholarship to India, among other prizes.
Daramombe went into the competition’s finals, facing the host. The final round saw the Zimbabwean representatives go head-to-head with the brilliant minds of St Josephs in a series of sudden death questions.
When asked who had won the 2010 Federation International de Football Association World Cup, Daramombe rose to the occasion saying Spain had won the tournament.
Botswana’s Believers Destiny Academy (Team 1) emerged the ultimate winners under the primary schools’ category to pocket BWP18 000 in sponsorship to participate in MARCH OF THE NERDS, among other prizes.
Gaborone International School primary teams 1 and 2 also scooped BWP12 000 and BWP6 000 for taking second and third positions, respectively.
Daramombe quiz team’s patron Ndaizivei Shasha said they were excited to emerge champions at such a level.
Shasha said the support from the school’s head (Amos Takatya) and colleagues had made it possible for them to reach such a milestone.
“The headmaster’s faith in my abilities as the patron of the Daramombe quiz spurs me on. I just told him that my team was invited to participate at the Botswana tournament, and I wanted to go... he has never disappointed us and can go an extra mile,” she said.
“Words fail me, but I also want to thank the team that has never disappointed. The guys are just amazing. They stood the heat. It was not a walk in the park, the level of competition was very high, and they proved their worth and managed to represent Zimbabwe well.”
She said her junior policy approach had been their secret to victory.
“I recruit form ones why, because the quiz needs a lot of research so if they are doing nine subjects, I tell them the quiz is your 10th subject. That much has saved me a lot...I also emphasise on good moral fibre,” Shasha said.
“There is no winning if the kids are morally corrupted and above all I encourage patriotism as pupils who love their country would represent it well like they did at the competition. Hats off to captain Ashley Gatsi, vice Thabo Sibanda, Samuel Huni, Rashid Shekienda, Minerva Takatya and Anisha Juawo for representing the school, district, province and the country of Zimbabwe at large.”
Daramombe High School headmaster Takatya said he was humbled by the performance of the team.
“I had faith in them right from the beginning. I want to thank them for flying our banner higher as a school and as able representatives of Zimbabwe. To the patron, I want to say keep the reins tight as you soar higher with your team,” he noted.
“Keep the mental gymnastics a culture that will always be inscribed on the history of our great institution. I also want to thank all stakeholders who gave us maximum support in the pursuit of this golden goal. These include the highly esteemed officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, our school development committee and our much revered responsible authority, the Anglican Diocese of Masvingo.”
The NSQC founder and chief executive producer Ian Venganai told NewsDay Life & Style that this first NSQC tournament since the end of COVID-19 will be televised from January on Botswana Television and Mindset DStv channel 319.
“It was nothing short of a spectacle and brilliant performance of academic gladiators from primary and secondary schools,” he said.
“There are plenty of opportunities that come with taking part in the auspicious NSQC Universe, which is widely known as the Nerd Galaxy by many students across the world.”
Venganai promised more academic tournaments for 2024, startingwith the NSQC Zimbabwe scheduled for Saturday February 3 in Harare.