A history-making team of Zimbabwean high school students that became world and European moot court competition champions has been widely praised in a country where the education system is beset by poor funding, lack of materials and teachers’ strikes.

The 11-member Zimbabwean team of nine girls and two boys aged between 14 and 18 and drawn from different schools was crowned world champions last month after winning the International High School Moot Court competition held online at the end of May. A team from New York City came second in the competition where participants used fictional cases to simulate proceedings in the International Criminal Court pre-trial chambers.

Zimbabwe now has also been crowned champions of Europe after beating The Netherlands in the finals of the European Moot Competition for high school students on July 3. It was Zimbabwe’s first time competing in both prestigious events.

Organizers of the European competition were so impressed with Zimbabwe’s performance at the International High School Moot Court competition that they invited the team to be the first-ever African country to enter their competition, said team captain Ruvimbo Simbi.

“It is surreal and extraordinary,” said Simbi after returning from Romania, where the European competition was held.

“When we were at the European Moot Court, many people didn’t even know Zimbabwe. We put Zimbabwe on the map, letting the world know of the amazing talent found in this country,” said Simbi.