Prince Edward School

Prince Edward School, (also Prince Edward High School, oft-called "P.E.") is a government high School for boys, both boarders and day-scholars in Harare, Zimbabwe. It provides first class educational facilities to 1200+ boys in Forms I to VI. The school is served by a professional graduate staff of over 100 teachers including specialists in Computers, Music, Astronomy, Sport and Speech and Drama. Africa Almanac rates Prince Edward School as the 6th Best School in Africa and 2nd in Zimbabwe. [Top 20 high schools in Africa [http://www.africaalmanac.com/top20highschools.html Africa Almanac] ]

History

Prince Edward was established in 1898 in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) as Salisbury Grammar. It is the oldest boys school in Harare and the second oldest in Zimbabwe after its main sporting rival, St Georges' College. It is listed as the 38th oldest School in Africa. Unlike St Georges, which moved from Bulawayo in its early years, PE is still located on its original site. Originally co-ed, Prince Edward is now, in keeping with most of Zimbabwe's bigger and older institutions, a single gender institution.

The School's badge is a crown and three feathers, granted to it by Prince Edward (later King Edward VIII of the UK) in the 1920s. The school's colours are maroon and dark green. For the 100 year anniversary, Prince Edward School adopted a new coat of arms which does not replace the school's badge. The motto of the school "TOT FACIENDA PARUM FACTUM" (so much to do so little done) are attributed as Cecil John Rhodes last words.

Name controversy

In 2002, before the March 2002 presidential elections, the Ministry of Education announced plans to change names of all government schools that had kept them from the colonial era. Scores of government schools were set to have their names changed to honour liberation war heroes, past national and African personalities and/or the suburban area in which the school is located. Prince Edward School was set to be renaned Murenga Boys High School after a Njelele high spirit said to have directed the First Chimurenga of 1896-7. The change of names did not occur but in its wake, as a compromise, the Games Houses within the school had their colonial names changed to those of rivers in Zimbabwe.

Academic Education

Academic education revolves around the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES) protocol of O-Level and A-level examinations, in line with the Zimbabwean secondary school education system. O-Levels are written after the first four years of high school i.e. at the end of Form IV (Year 11), A-Levels after the last 2 years of school, in Form VI (i.e. Year 13).

In their first term of Form I at Prince Edward new boys are streamed into 8 to 9 classes. Boys in the top stream study Latin, and those in the top four study French. Depending on 'O' level results boys proceed to 'A' levels. Apart from academic subjects boys who wish to do so may take Art, Agriculture, Astronomy, Commerce, Metalwork, Religious Education, Technical Drawing, Woodwork, to 'O' levels. Prince Edward School enjoys the proud record as one of the schools with the largest number of Rhodes Scholars in Africa - possibly the world.

Sporting and Cultural Education

The School is adequately provided and equipped for scholars needs in Sporting facilities, and every boy is expected to choose one of these sports each term. Thus, it is believed that every boy's interest is catered for, with coaching and technical advice readily available. The competitive spirit is fostered by regular and weekly games with other schools, instilling a sense of teamwork, gamesmanship, and leadership - all vital factors essential to education, and helping to provide a well-rounded individual.

The following sports are offered:
Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Bowls, Cricket, Cross-Country, Diving, Golf, Handball, Hockey, Indoor Hockey, Judo, Karate, Rowing, Rugby union, Shooting, Soccer, Squash, Swimming, Table-Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, and Water Polo.Under-water hockey

Every scholar is encouraged to participate in the Club or Society of his choice, according to his natural bent, and is expected to choose at least one every term. The School offers the following cultural activities:

Archives, Air Cadets, Astronomy, Art, Boy Scouts, Boys' Brigade, Bridge, Chapel, Chess, Classics Society, Junior and Senior Choirs, Christian Union, Computers, Craft and Design, Careers, Creative Writing, , Debating, Dramatics, Economics, Environmental Protection, First Aid, Guitar, Human Rights, Interact, Library, Literary Society, Maneco, Music, Magazine, Natural History, Orchestra, Ornithological Society, Prince Edward School Times (PEST), Philately, Photography, Printing, Public Speaking, Quiz, Radio, Science and Technology, Scrabble, Scribe and Printing, Shona Dramatics, Snooker, UNESCO, Variety, Website Club, Weightlifting, Woodwork, Young Farmers, and Young Physicists.

Rugby

The First Fifteen is probably the most famous sporting side of the school. Going by the name of the "Tigers", the school has had a number of successful years as one of the dominant, if not the top schoolboy rugby side in the country.

Prominent ex-Tigers include Tonderai Chavanga, who presently plays rugby in Western Province, South Africa. He played in the South African Under 21 world cup winning squad, the world champion South Africa 7-aside team as well as the provincial outfits of Western Province and the Free State Cheetahs. His most notable achievement to date though is that of his Springbok debut against Uruguay at the beginning of the 2005 season. He scored a South African record of 6 tries in that match.

Alumni

Prince Edward old boys are called "Old Hararians". The Old Hararians Association was founded in 1922 and maintains very close ties with the school.

The Old Hararians cricket team is based the Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare, and fields a team in the Vigne Cup, the Harare Metropolitan Cricket League, as well as the National League for club cricket. Old Hararians contain many national team and "A" team, such as Vusi Sibanda, Prosper Utseya and Ryan Butterworth. [Brmtaylor.com list of club cricketers [http://www.brmtaylor.com/club_players.html "Brendan Taylor - Zimbabwe Club Cricket Players"] ]

The Prince Edward old boys water polo team is known as "Old Eds"

Football Stars
* Fungai "Tostao" Kwashi (currently plays in the V League in Vietnam);
* Quincy Antipas (currently playing in the 3rd best league in Denmark (FC Blokhus));
* Alois Bunjira (currently playing in South Africa);
* Gilbert Mushangazhike (currently playing in South Africa);
* Nurdine Khan (currently playing in the United States)Rugby Old Boys
* Tonderai Chavanga (currently plays for Western Province in South Africa);
* Piet Benade(Mpumalanga Pumas- South Africa);
* Gordon Pangeti (Stellenbosch - South Africa, SA U21);
* Vakai Hove (UCT - South Africa);
* Forbes Roberts (Natal - South Africa)
* Ian Robertson (South Africa)NaBhuru Ku UK
* Brian Murphy (South Africa)
*Keenan Marais (New Zealand/Japan)Famous golfing Old Boys
* Nick Price
* Mark McNulty

Old Boy Cricketers
* Duncan Fletcher
* Graeme Hick
* Dave Houghton
* Eddo Brandes
* Mark Vermeulen
* David Mutendera
* Jackie du Preez

Rowing Old Boys
* Colin Smith

Tennis Old Boys
* Byron Black

"'Athletics & Cross-Country
* Abel Kahuni - One of the most outstanding athletes PE has ever produced. Went on to run for South Plains College and the University of Central Oklahoma (USA).

Famous personalities
* Over the Edge - Theatre troupe made up of old boys Lucien Wiina Msamati,Shaheen Jassat, Craig Peter, Zane E Lucas and Gavin Peter.
* Stand-Up Comedian Alfred the Alleycat based in the United States of America.
* John Bredenkamp (probably the richest man in Zimbabwe with an estimated fortune of £720 Million as indicated by the Sunday Times (UK)) [ Sunday Times rich list 2002 [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/richlist/person/0,,5317,00.html Rich List in 2002] ] ;

References

See also

*List of boarding schools

External links

* [http://www.peschool.co.zw Prince Edward School Website]