The School Badge

St. Mary Magdalene'­s High School has a proud history, which spans over the past fifty years, including its function as a boarding primary school. That tradition includes Excellency in academic achievement as well as a strong and upright character distinguished by our school motto IN VERITATE LIBERTAS.

Interpreted or translated as in truth there is freedom = Chokwadi chichakusunungura.

TRUTH: (veritas, veritate) here, is accuracy, fidelity, correctness, exactness, exactitude, or verity.

FREEDOM: (libertas) here is similar in meaning to liberty, latitude, leeway, autonomy, independence, or more clearly; the state of not being in confinement or servitude.

Learn truthfully that the school will free you from the domain of ignorance. As a member of St. Mary Magdalene'­s family you have the obligation to carry on, and even develop this tradition.

1. The big baobab tree symbolizes the school's willingness to nature and allow its students to grow, into big people, who are the truthful and free from the shackles of ignorance.

2. The river, represents water from which we derive livelihood as it comes from the mountains fed from the skies (clouds) above them is the Mount Muozi range. From God we derive and expect blessings. Calm, tranquility, harmony, or peace that go together with freedom.

3. The cross symbolizes the mission (church) status of the institution, which we are all aware of. God provided and shall continue to provide as a guide to the future.

4. The book, if read or studied carefully, will cultivate in you the love for truth from which you will derive freedom.

5. Note that the school's house colours form the school motif

6. The outline crest distinguishes us from the rest of other similar institutions for our intended outstanding achievements. So together we should cherish the will the school as shown by the base of the motif carrying the school colours that guide us, proudly displaying IN VERITATE LIBERTAS.

WHAT THE SCHOOL STANDS FOR

This school has clear objectives in respect of the kind of student we wish to nurture. A student of St. Mary Magdaleneís High School must be a rounded person with high academic Excellency, full social adjustment and full physical development. To achieve this we expect you to work very hard in your studies, we expect you to take part in sporting activities, and we expect you to be involved in different clubs and societies on offer in the school. We should cherish discipline and commitment both developed through truthfulness. The values we should uphold include respect of elders, other pupils and property, good manners at all times, trust in other people, responsibility and loyalty to the school. You should also ensure that what you want to achieve and how you want to achieve it are consistent with what the school stands for.

(This article was written by Mr.  Dhlandhlara the former school headmaster. It originally appreared on the old school website. )