Mwalimu Matt: Mzumbe Form Four Golden Jubilee Graduation

On Thursday, Mzumbe Secondary School celebrated the graduation for the departing Form Four students. It was called the “Golden Jubilee” because it was the 50^th graduation ceremony for the school. All week the students have been preparing the school for this important occasion, and it was a wonderful celebration for the graduating students and Mzumbe community.

Assembly Hall ready for Graduation

The clean school grounds

Starting on Monday, every student was busy cleaning up the school grounds in anticipation of the graduation. By graduation day the school campus looked amazing, as all of the landscaping was pristine and each classroom and workroom was thoroughly cleaned. The staff was busy with our own preparations for the end of term, grading mid-term exams and filing out student reports for parents.

The staff (including myself) taking tea before the Graduation

As the big day arrived, the school was buzzing with excitement starting in the morning. The faculty gathered in the staff room for some morning tea and breakfast while the students put the final touches on the assembly hall for the graduation. After tea, the staff walked over to the assembly hall, which was already filled with Mzumbe students, visiting parents and students from nearby schools. Before the ceremony began, students from Mzumbe and other secondary schools put on a few performances that were fun and entertaining to watch. It was sort of like talent pre-show with some students singing, dancing and performing other skills.

Talent Pre-show

The Form Four Graduating class

Once all of the teachers and guests were seated, the graduating students marched in to the beat of drums and flutes, waving handkerchiefs and looking sharp in shirts and ties. After they were seated, the school administration, and some other guests of honor (other headmasters, ministry members and the district superintendent) arrived and took their seats at a head table.

As the ceremony commenced, we were treated to a number of other performances, including a couple of tradition African dances and songs. Also, the entire Form Four class gathered on the stage and performed some really incredible songs as a whole class. It gave me chills and was certainly a highlight of the ceremony.

After the performances, the guests of honor were moved to the stage and the Headmaster, Mr. Njawa, presided over the rest of the ceremony. The guest of honor was given a copy of the annual school magazine (of which I served as faculty editor), and following this, the guests each gave a speech and words of wisdom for the students (the whole ceremony was in Swahili, which was great exercise for my Swahili listening skills). Finally, each student was called up on stage and given their leaving certificate. They were officially graduates of Mzumbe Secondary School (O-Level).

The guests of honor and Mzumbe administration

Headmaster Njawa (Left) Presenting the guest of honor with the school magazine

The Library ready for lunch

Following the ceremony, the staff and guests went to the library to celebrate with a wonderful lunch and to appreciate the hard work that went into making the day a great success. The whole ceremony was a thrill for me, and I was interested to see how a school graduation in Tanzania compared to those in the U.S. For the most part, it was similar with the traditional pomp and circumstance exhibited. However, at the Mzumbe graduation they also included a lot of African culture and it was a genuine celebration of the diverse talents and accomplishments of the highly talented students of Mzumbe Secondary School.