The Bulawayo Technical School was established in

Bulawayo Bulawayo (, ; Ndebele: ''Bulawayo'') is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region. The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940, while the Bulawayo City Council cl ...

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...

in January 1927 and was the first technical school in what was then

Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was a landlocked self-governing British Crown colony in southern Africa, established in 1923 and consisting of British South Africa Company (BSAC) territories lying south of the Zambezi River. The region was informally kn ...

. The school had been planned to educate boys with technical ability who could contribute practical skills to the young and rapidly developing country. Its founder headmaster was Mr. P.H. Gifford, a science graduate from the

University of Manchester , mottoeng = Knowledge, Wisdom, Humanity , established = 2004 – University of Manchester Predecessor institutions: 1956 – UMIST (as university college; university 1994) 1904 – Victoria University of Manchester 1880 – Victoria Univer ...

, who had previously served at Boys' High School in what was then

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

. He was to remain with the school for twenty years and was succeeded as headmaster by Mr. H. J. Sutherby in 1947, who had also been a founder member of staff. The school was renamed Gifford Technical High School, in honour of its founding headmaster, on 19 August 1961. The school was renamed

Gifford High School Gifford High School is a government-owned boys-only high school in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. The school was founded in 1927 as the Bulawayo Technical School led by Mr Philip Henry Gifford and four teachers, with an enrolment of 39 pupils. Timeline ...

in 1974 when it became a comprehensive high school offering the same range of subjects as other high schools in the country.

Notable alumni

* David Candler (1924–2008), cricketer, clergyman and educator

References

Schools in Zimbabwe Educational institutions established in 1927 Buildings and structures in Bulawayo Education in Bulawayo 1927 establishments in Southern Rhodesia {{Zimbabwe-school-stub