The Sisters of Charity came to Zambia in 1948 to work at Chikuni Mission, Southern Province, focussing on healthcare and education. Over the years the work has expanded but the original ideal has been maintained - and today Chikuni Hospital is flourishing while Chikuni Secondary School provides education for the local population.

Roma Girls’ Secondary School really began in Kabwata, the parish hall being he dormitory and St. Patrick’s School hall, the classroom for the first intake of 30 pupils on 22 July 1963.

The sisters came to Kabwata, Lusaka in 1957 and relocated to the current location of Roma Girls Secondary School a few years later. The students from Kabwata moved to their new school in January 1964. The first mass celebrated on 16th January 1964 by Fr S. O’Connor S.J. held in the convent parlour, marked the beginning of Roma Girls Secondary School. The school chapel was officially opened on Holy Thursday 1964. Since then the school chapel has been an integral part of the activities of the school.

The opening of Roma Girls Secondary School was not without adventure! The original site chosen for the school was abandoned when it was discovered that the site had no water. Months of site hunting followed until finally a farm of fifty acres along with a pleasantly situated house, came on the market. It was by no means ideal as the sloping nature of the site would render building very expensive and the laying out of playing fields very difficult – but the farm had water, was reasonably near the city electricity supply and only seven kilometres from Lusaka city centre.

Roma Girls was runs as a boarding school from 1964 – 1992. Today the school runs as a day school having stopped the boarding facility in 1992. The school succeeded in establishing a high standard of excellence in academic subjects and became one of the leading schools in Zambia. In addition to this, it also developed sporting activities and generated interest in netball and athletics. The school netball team won the national netball tournament in 1969.

This was a great achievement for the school with many more successes to follow.

Educating girls in the 60’s

To educate the girl child in the early sixties in Zambia was a very challenging enterprise. Parents felt that educating boys was a priority and that educating girls was a waste of time. But the sisters of charity realised that educating girls was a ‘must’ if Zambia was to develop and take its place in the nations of the world.

Because of this vision, there are many Roma Girls taking their place in politics, banking, healthcare, and law as well as in the business world.  The sisters believed that to educate means to educate the whole person and so manual work is considered a vital component in the development of character and in preparation for the future, where the woman plays a vital role in the raising of children.

Netball Team (1973 ). Can you identify anyone in the photo?!

The academic staff at Roma have always had a high sense of commitment and concern for their pupils. This follows the tradition started by Mother Helen the first head mistress and continued by her successors Sr. M. Bernadette Collins, Sr. Catherine Chileshe, Sr. A. Fenhy, Sr. L. Sihanda, Sr. Yolantha Mwiila and today Sr. J Sihanda is the present headmistress. Mr A. Machanga was the acting head for the third term of 2006.

“Education is not just the acquisition of knowledge, it is just one very concentrated and important element of it. In sports and academic subjects, we provide some of the ingredients, but life itself is the great educator”.

Sr M. Bernadette Collins - former headmistress

Formation of the PTA in 1973

In 1973, the parent teacher association was formed and quickly got busy in raising funds for the school. The first project was the surfacing of the road leading to the school, and the fencing near the school. Both projects were very timely and badly needed.

1973 was the diamond jubilee year of the city of Lusaka and a competition was held for the best school magazine depicting its history. Roma Girls was awarded first prise in the competition.

1974: Independence 10th Anniversary celebrations

 In 1974 Zambia celebrated her tenth anniversary of independence and the government of the time made plans on a massive scale to commemorate the event. Experts from Korea were invited to come and train pupils from all the schools in Lusaka for a display of callisthenics depicting Zambia’s progress in ten years from 1964 – 1974. Roma was among the schools chosen to take part in the celebrations. Rehearsals began in August 1974 and continued on a daily basis to October 24th.

The Koreans, who seemed indefatigable and expected everyone else to be of a similar calibre conducted the training sessions, there were a few male instructors but the chief one was a lady referred to as ‘Madame’. Madame spoke very little English but her male colleagues were kept busy interpreting and directing her commands. She required hundreds of red flowers to decorate loops used as part of the display and our girls were required to make the flowers out of red crepe paper. Work progressed but the supply of paper ran out and no more could be found in Zambia. Confusion and consternation reigned. The Koreans insisted that the flowers had to be RED, so pink and orange crepe paper that was available was dyed in red print outside our school hall and left its mark on the concrete. The girls quickly named the area “Red Square”... Some spots of red can still be seen there today!

Formation of the Production Unit (PU)- 1975

1975 saw the beginning of the production unit. The area chosen was behind the big dormitory. The girls cleared the bush and in a very short time a complete transformation was visible and fifteen orange trees were planted ceremoniously. This was the beginning of the orchard as we have it today.

Girls called to National Service...

In December 1975, the first group of fifth formers were called for National service. Lorries arrived on December 6 at a very early hour and the school leavers were hustled into the waiting trucks, very worried and anxious about what lay ahead. It was a tough experience for all of them. Letters from Roma were written during the months of this “service” and the whole experience rather strengthened their bonds of love and loyalty, which bound them to Roma.

Blood Donors

Several times each year the mobile blood bank arrives at Roma and the nurses get a large number of blood donors from among the pupils. This was started in 1964 but in 1976, three of the girls afterwards suffered from considerable weakness and general debility. Parents subsequently objected and the practice was stopped.

Sports Day

Sports Day was one of the highlight events of the year with the four houses (Augustine, Lwaanga, Martins, Murumba) competing against each other. It didn't help that the nuns did not necessarily place siblings in the same house - house loyalty was put ahead of family loyalty on that day!!

At the start of the event, the participants marched round the sports track led by the four house captains.

Girls marching round the field in the 70's. Can you name any of the girls in the photo and the year it was taken? I seem to think this might have been in 1979 with Vicky Mambwe seen leading the procession to the far right?

Roma Girls in the 80’s

Sr Kierran taking a maths class on 16th July 1982! Can anyone tell more specifically which class this was?

Roma Girls Today

Former pupils from Roma remain active with the school either as parents in the PTA or through the Ex-Roma Girls Association (EROGA).

Former pupils stand outside the school hall with Mrs Mwanza (school matron from the 80's) far right.