Story by Fungai Jachi
THE Heritage-based Education 5.0 learning model continues to bear fruit as tertiary institutions promote innovations and technological development towards the attainment of an industrialised and modernised nation.
A Technovation Expo at Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) has unveiled several innovations by Zimbabwean students, proving that the Education 5.0 Model is transforming the country’s education sector.
The innovations include an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, a Proctoring System and an Accident Detection System.
“The ERP system is being used by local authorities for billing and even debt collection. This system shifts them from using paper, to making their systems paperless and efficient. Some local authorities including Mutare City and Masvingo have already adopted the system and it has improved their efficiency,” Everjoy Zezayi, the systems analyst for LADS Africa said.
“During the Covid-19 era, I realised it was difficult for us to come and write exams so I came up with this proctoring system which acts like an invigilator. It monitors someone when they are writing exams to ensure they are not cheating,” said Munashe Mudabura, an innovator.
“We realised that at times when an accident occurs, help might be delayed because there will be no one to alert that there has been an accident. The software detects an accident and automatically calls emergency numbers be it a Fire Brigade or an ambulance,” another Innovator, Anita Manokore said.
HIT Vice Chancellor, Engineer Quinton Kanhukamwe is impressed by the students’ work ethic and the quality of the inventions.
“We are pleased and proud that our students are now able to come up with homegrown solutions to local problems.
“There is no need for us to look for help outside the country because the solutions are here. Many innovations that have been created here have brought relief to different sectors.
“Software engineers have come up with solutions for local authorities to curb financial crimes. Food sciences have come up with food processing plants for value addition and beneficiation. Education 5.0 has indeed been a game changer,” he said.
The government has set up Innovation hubs at state-owned tertiary institutions across the country to promote the heritage-based education 5.0 model to produce graduates who are fully equipped for the industrialisation and modernisation agenda.
