GIVEN THEIR ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT IN THE NATIONAL PARK, THE ZAMBEZI CRESCENT COLLECTION NOW PRIDES ITSELF ON PROVIDING FREE SCHOOLING TO ALL PRE-SCHOOLERS LIVING IN THE NATIONAL PARK’S STAFF VILLAGE.
In keeping with the true African spirit of vast and extended family structures, this offer is inclusive of not only children of Parks’ employees; relatives of those employed by the National Park and even the children of friends of Park’s employees who live in the Zambezi National Park Staff Village.
Zambezi Crescent Preschool, consisting of a student body of more than 15 children of a mixed balance of boys and girls, is located just a few metres from the children’s homes in the Staff Village. This allows the children the freedom to walk to school and back, while being supervised by an adult, on a daily basis. School starts at 8am and finishes at 12pm in the Summer, and in Winter it opens at 9am and closes at 1pm.
One of the teachers at the school, Sibonokuhle (Sibo) Kapesa, describes the Zimbabwean Early Childhood Development curriculum as “rigorous” with a total of six subjects being taught every day by Kapesa, and Tsitsi Muchemwa, another qualified teacher at the school.
“The school has made a real impact on the children’s development. Now that the school is so much closer to them, they can have access to the same opportunities as other children who do not live on the outskirts of town,” said Kapesa.
ZAMBEZI CRESCENT PRESCHOOL WISHLIST
Age-appropriate books: Story books and Colouring books
Age-appropriate stationary: thick colouring pencils and crayons, paint, photocopying paper
Age-appropriate sports equipment (football, cricket, table tennis, etc.)
Electronic equipment for ICT as a subject: tablets and/or a laptop, a DVD player, a television and/or a radio
Sun hats & a Sports uniforms
Hiring the services of a qualified sports trainer/ coach
Developing the play-area with a jungle gym, swings and slides
Another classroom and/or a Wendy-house
Plastic/ portable pool for cooling off on hot Summer days
Dress-up clothes
Outdoor kitchen items
Big Lego (Duplo)
Building blocks
Buckets and spades
Watering cans
Sandpit toys
Plastic animals (insect, farm and wild animals)