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About Mtendere Secondary School
Mtendere Secondary School Historical Background
The aim of this historical background is to explain Mtendere Secondary School’s Mission and Vision from School’s first inception and to discuss how today the school’s managers wish to implement the School’s Mission Statement. This has been split into the following:
1. A brief history of the school.
2. The underlying purpose of the school.
3. The mission statement of the school.
4. The vision of the school.
5. The core values of the school
1. A Brief History of the School
Mtendere is a Chichewa word which means “Peace” in English. It was coined by the White Fathers who came to start a mission here in 1936. They called the new mission “Mary the Queen of Peace”. People could not pronounce the whole word but chose to use the last word “Peace” which means Mtendere in Chichewa.
For the purpose of the history of the School, we will start in 1943 when Bro Patrick of Kutama, Zimbabwe wrote about his Boarder to Fr Jolin. Fr Jolin, a White Father priest, was then at Likuni Mission. When he saw the response from Fr Jolin, Bro Patrick detected in Fr Jolin an old Waterloo Marist Boy because of his handwriting. He then wrote him back to tell that he had recognised the Marist Handwriting.
His Lordship Bishop O. Julien, White Father, who was a resident Bishop for Nyasa Vicariate, got interested in the fact that there were Canadian Brothers so near to his Vicariate. After this incident, he took some steps to get some of the Brothers to work in his Vicariate. Then the Bishop requested to have the Brothers and he was referred to the Iberville, Marist Brother Province in Canada. The Provincial gave the hopeful answer.
Very Reverend Bro Clement, the Provincial, and Bro Patrick then came as delegates to Nyasaland in order to meet Bishop Julien and they examined the possibilities of a Marist Foundation.
The Bembeke Station School was the first School and was the first foundation agreed upon. A contract was then drawn up and signed. Then Bishop Julien went to Canada on sick leave and got a chance to visit the province of Iberville. There he was promised Brothers for the Bembeke foundation.
In August 1943, the Bembeke Station School was being transferred to Mtendere. Since Mtendere had more advantages over Bembeke, the opposition fizzled out so quickly.
On June 15, 1946, the Brothers arrived at Mtendere to start a station school. The first community was composed of the following:
1. Bro Peter Eugene
2. Bro John Luke
3. Bro Victor Dominic
4. Bro Adolph Andrew.
On December, 6, 1946, the school was opened with 124 students at night.
On December 7, 1946, 30 students in grade 6 were tested in English and Mathematics. 20 of these failed, only 10 passed. This strengthened the mission of the Brothers.
On March 6, 1947, the Boys dormitory began in heavy drizzle.
From September 9 to 10, Std 6 boys sat for the first Government examinations.
On June 12, 1948, the Brothers moved to the new residence where there is a Chapel now.
2. The Underlying Purpose of the School
Mtendere Secondary School is now a Grant Aided School, owned by the Diocese. The Marist Brothers run it as agents from 1946 to 2020. It is a Christian School and all its activities are based on Christian Foundations and principles.
From its time of inception, Mtendere Secondary School has dedicated itself to the Christian Education of Children and the Youth so that they grow up into useful citizens of the Malawi. The school has forever aimed at training the children and the youth into complete human beings so that they are agents of positive change in our society. The ultimate goal therefore is to produce a Christian Human being who will contribute constructively and positively to the progress of his community.
3. School’s Mission Statement
As a Christian School, Mtendere Secondary School’s Mission statement has to be Christian in nature and must therefore be the underpinning purpose of the school The school’s Mission statement states that:
“We develop the Capabilities of learners holistically within an educational environment that is conducive to the culture of teaching and learning.”
4. Today’s Vision for the School
From the above Mission Statement, we as a school surely look towards the future with audacity and hope. The school has to provide holistic education to all the inhabitants of Malawi that look to the school for education. We endeavour to be leaders in the provision of secondary education to learners in Malawi.
Our learners work together, pray together and are always trained to be self-reliant in the production unit where we produce maize, vegetables etc.
It is through all that has been mentioned above that we attempt to achieve our Mission Statement. It is from here that we can progress further.
5. The Call Values of the School
Our core values include:
- Learners Welfare
- Solidarity and Justice
- Promotion of respect for diversity and human dignity
- Serving in Humility, Modesty and simplicity
- Excellence.