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Marlborough High School is a secondary school in Zimbabwe that is located in the Harare suburb of Marlborough. Marlborough is to the north of Harare City Centre and lies between the roads leading to Chinhoyi and Bindura from Harare. Marlborough High School caters for children aged between 12 and 19 years. Children of this age are in Forms 1 to 6 of their secondary school education.
Marlborough High School was established before the independence of Zimbabwe and served mainly white children during the colonial period. Use of the English language is compulsory at all times while within the school grounds. There are boarding facilities at this school that serve both boys and girls. The boarding house for boys is called Chartwell House and the house for girls is called Blenheim House. Approximately 120 boys and 120 girls are boarders. The rest of the students are not boarders and come from within the school catchment area with a few coming from other residential areas of Harare.
Marlborough High School uniform for boys in Forms 1 and 2 comprises navy blue shorts and a navy blue khaki-style shirt, navy blue socks and black shoes. The Form 1 and 2 girls' uniform comprises light blue dresses with a navy blue wide collar, navy blue socks and black shoes. Form 3 and 4 boys wear navy blue trousers and light blue shirts with a navy blue and silver striped tie. During the winter, girls in Form 3 and 4 wear navy blue skirts and light blue shirts with navy blue and silver striped ties. Boys in Forms 5 and 6 wear navy blue trousers, white shirts and navy blue and silver stripped ties, and girls in Forms 5 and 6 wear navy blue skirts and white shirts with navy blue and silver striped ties. All students wear black shoes, navy blue socks and navy blue blazers with the school emblem on the breast pocket.
Marlborough High School has produced many students who have proceeded to further education and enrolled at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) and the National University of Science and Technology (NUST), as well as other colleges in Zimbabwe and abroad.
Marlborough High School is well-known for sports and its students excel in rugby, cricket, football, netball, basketball, tennis, volleyball, and athletics.
The school produced great sportsmen such as Hugh Hofisi, who played both rugby and basketball for the national team, Ephraim Masora, the young Leeroy Mavunga, who was recently signed to Caps United Jnrs, Wishes Chiganan'ana, Panashe Dzapasi, Thandanani Mabhena and Petros Mudzengerere. Francis Mandiwanzira is also worth mentioning, who excelled in soccer. Simbarashe Chikona, who is the founder of Fitness Edge and a renowned fitness trainer in the United Arab Emirates, Gary Thompson, who is a renowned golfer and top media personality, Addison Chiware, who is one of Zimbabwe's finest basketball players and a coach, as well as Gerald Chipumha, who was an outstanding rugby player and official with the Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) are also some of the top sportsmen produced by Marlborough High School.
Also worth mentioning are some personalities that have contributed to other spheres at the national level, such as Bernard Manyenyeni, who is the former Mayor of Harare, Godfrey Tafadzwa Mugabe who is a former Headboy of Marlborough High School and a key strategist for national security in the Government of Zimbabwe's investment efforts, Hurst Muchineripi, who is the CEO and founder of Hurst Logistics (Pvt) Ltd, a company instrumental in assisting the Government when the country was under siege, as well as Matilda Mkomera, who is a top banker in Zimbabwe.
The school authorities are, however, on record as turning down efforts by Old Marlburians (the alumni) to assist the school in returning to its former glory. Allegations suggest that this is centred on the administration's fear of being exposed for certain underhand and corrupt dealings by some individuals in the management of the school. It has also been reported in some spheres that the Senior Mistress, who has been there for over 3 decades, has become a lone voice in trying to uphold the school's former standards, even without government support.
The current state of the school is far below that of its former days, and by allowing personalities like the Senior Mistress to work with the alumni, the school may hope to see its former glory return.