A secondary school in Buhera District, Manicaland Province, Muzokomba High School, has embarked on a beekeeping project as part of its new curriculum.
At least seven other schools in Buhera District have followed Muzokomba High School’s footsteps and ventured into apiculture.
The school beekeeping club chairperson, Jephter Mudongo told The Manica Post that the bee-keeping project is part of the new curriculum which emphasises doing more practical work under the life skills module. Said Mudongo:
In a bid to embrace the life skills enhancing curriculum, the school has embarked on a beekeeping project as a core practical activity.
The project seeks to empower pupils by encouraging them to individually own beehives.
As a result, we have established at the school an apiary, where beehives are kept, and in the long run, we anticipate that every child will own a beehive.
The proceeds from this project will be channelled towards subsiding school fees for the pupils.
We have received training from Apimondia on how to make state-of-the-art beehives as well as how to harvest quality organic honey.
Our beehives cost US$20 when being sold to the local community and other schools around.
Muzokomba High School is now affiliated with the continental beekeeping body, the Apimondia, which is the umbrella body of the International Federation of Beekeepers Associations.
Apimondia’s main objective is to facilitate the exchange of information and discussions where beekeepers, scientists, honey traders, agents for development, technicians and legislators meet to listen, discuss and learn from each other.