Marist Old Students Association (MOSA): Alive and now Online

Jan. 13, 2012 - PRLog -- Marist Brothers Secondary School Dete (Marist Dete) is a co-educational (mixed) Catholic boarding school located in Dete, in the Hwange district of Zimbabwe’s Matebeleland North province. The school is part of the international family of Marist schools run by the Marist Brothers, a Catholic society founded in 1817 by Saint Marcellin Champagnat in France, with their focus being on educational work throughout the world.

The Marist Brothers Secondary School in Dete provides classes from Form 1 to Form 4. Most of the students come from the Hwange district (Dete, Hwange, Victoria Falls, etc) and Bulawayo. Due to its high profile and excellent reputation, Marist Dete also attracts students from further afield, including the Midlands, Matebeleland and Masvingo provinces of Zimbabwe.

The Marist Old Students Association Dete (MOSA Dete) (http://www.mosadete.org) is the alumni association for former students of Marist Dete. Alumni associations are an essential part of every school or college setup, as it is through these former students that schools can judge the societal relevance and value of the education they offer. For former students, the degree of loyalty to a former school is the best indicator of one’s appreciation of how much the school contributed and shaped ones’ life.

Although thousands have graduated from Marist Dete, these former students have found it difficult to join up and function as a fully fledged alumni association for their school. Previous efforts initiated by former Marist Dete students have suffered some operational difficulties. This includes ‘Operation Mobilisation Marist Brothers Dete’ (OMMBD), which was founded in 1986 and operated until the mid to late 1990s, as well as MOSA South Africa, founded in the mid 1990s. Both groups have made contributions to the school, but the efforts have not been sustained.

Inevitably, Marist Dete has missed out on the benefits that normally come from having a more fully engaged former students association. For example, Zimbabwe’s schools have, like other sectors, faced economic difficulties, spurring some former students into action. Diaspora groups in particular, have been able to help their beloved schools in various ways including financial donations as well as sourcing books and other educational equipment.

The advent of social networking may be a blessing. Facebook and Graduates.com have allowed a rekindling of friendships amongst Marist Dete former students. These sites have also allowed a broadening of interactions to the extent that people who may not have been at the school at the same time can now communicate freely and regularly, as if they schooled together. It has thus become well feasible for Marist Old Students to come together as a large force that can help the school in many ways, such as with material benefits, as well as by influencing the direction that the school takes, in order for Marist Brothers Dete to remain relevant in the face of an ever changing environment.

It is timely that a dedicated website for the Marist Old Students Association (http://www.mosadete.org) was established on New Years day 2012. Former Marist students, all of whom have automatic membership to MOSA, now have a place where they can connect and have constructive discussions and debates about their school. In addition, this is also a place for former students to help each other. Networking, as well as promotion of businesses by former Marist students are additional invaluable benefits. We encourage all former Marist Dete students, as well as teachers, to get involved.