Dominican Convent High School

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History

Dominican Convent was founded in 1892 by Mother Patrick Cosgrave, an Irish nun, with 10 pupils.

The Dominican Convent School (Harare) is the oldest school in Harare, and is made of up of the Dominican Convent Early Child Development Centre (ECD), Dominican Convent Primary School and Dominican Convent High School. In the 127 years that the high school has existed, it has widely been regarded as one of the premier Catholic Church schools in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa and the world at large.

School Grounds

Grounds, buildings,

Students / Teachers / Courses

• Headmistress, Sister Kudzai Mutsure
• Deputy Headmistress, Mrs Saneliso Mkharo
• Chaplain, Father Tendai Mashayamombe
• Mother Superior, Sr. Ferrera.

The high school is made up of 560 girls and over 50 teaching staff members.

• courses offered, to what levels.

Events

Founders Day, sports day, extra-curricular activities.

Associations

Famous names associated with the school.

• Maggie Chapman - Rector of the University of Aberdeen, Scottish MP - Green Party, 2021
• Kirsty Coventry - 2008 Olympic gold medalist, Minister of Sport 2018
• Nyasha Kadenge - Football administrator.
• Bona Mugabe - daughter of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe
• Haru Mutasa - Journalist
• Doris Lessing - 2007 Nobel Prize in Literature Laureate
• Danai Gurira - Actor and Playwright
• Sister Catherine Jackson - Founder of the Dorothy Duncan Braille Library
• Lisa Doris Armstrong - Founder of Ugogo Africa

Expulsion Of Learners Over Drug Abuse

On 26 January 2023, Dominican Convent High School expelled eight Form six learners after they were caught using illicit drugs during a school trip to Nyanga from the 12th to the 15th of January.^[1]

Sister Kudzai Mutsure, head of the Upper School at the Convent, said a disciplinary committee found the girls guilty of violating the school’s drug policy. A notice to parents by Sister Mutsure reads:

Dear parents/guardians

EXCLUSION OF STUDENTS FROM DOMINICAN CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL HARARE

I write on a sad note to notify you that the 8 girls we had put on suspension pending Investigations on an incident that took place at the 2023 U6 leadership camp which was held in Nyanga from the 12th to the 15th of January, have been excluded from the school with immediate effect. The disciplinary committee exercised all principles of procedural fairness and found the girls guilty of violating the school drug policy. (see the school website for details)

My heart aches for these girls and their parents but my duty of care is to ensure that the school environment is, as far as is practicable, safe and free from all risks. I have a responsibility to the whole school community and possessing, using or supplying a restricted substance including vaping is not acceptable. Investigations are still ongoing and we will not hesitate to weed out any more culprits to sanitise the school space.

I pray that the girls will receive the rehabilitation they need and that ALL parents take an active role, in partnership with the school, to modify the inappropriate behaviour of their children. I believe that school officials’ efforts to protect students from the dangers of substance abuse are sometimes hampered by parents and community members in denial about the pervasiveness of the problem and the potential for any child to succumb to the lures of drugs.

I appeal to parents to be more vigilant and active by refining their parenting skills and being aware of their children’s activities as our investigations show that the pervasive behaviour started at home.

I will keep you posted on any further developments. Be blessed.

Yours sincerely

Sr Kudzai Mutsure O. P.

Further Reading