Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Correspondent
INDEPENDENCE has brought massive transformation in the education sector which is equipping Zimbabweans to become masters of their destiny.
The higher education system bears testimony to the transformative development after the introduction of the Education 5.0 model, with the country’s graduates rising to the through innovations which are answering the needs of the people.
Setting up an education system that goes beyond university and college walls, answering the needs of industry has become the hallmark of the Second Republic.
It is a paradigm shift from the colonial era when many were content with acquiring qualifications that would earn them a job.
Going beyond the prospects of producing employees, government is now focusing on producing students who champion the country’s industrialisation and offer solutions for day-to-day problems.
The Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira highlights that the introduction of the Education 5.0 model is a clear roadmap to filling the skills gap among the country’s graduates.
“We have to know that the purpose of education is more than reading and writing. Education is there to fulfil human needs, food, shelter, innovation, Zimbabwe transitioned in the Second Republic. We did an analysis of our education system. H.E said if we were educated why are we not having enough industrialisation, food. It meant that what should be able to produce. Though we were literate we were lacking skill. It’s now not only about knowledge but skill. So our analysis showed that we had a 62% skills deficit. We need both knowledge and skill.”
Apart from the skills, the education sector has also shifted focus to ensuring graduates makes use of their heritage to be productive.
A number of successful projects have been recorded with the Mwenezi Mapfura plant, the Verify Engineering Oxygen plant in Mutare and the Pathology Centre in Gweru bearing testimony to the positive shift that the education model has brought.
These projects have also brought hope to communities through job and product creation.
“For a nation to be formidable, it means it must be able to provide for its needs. When a nation is formidable it attracts the respect within itself. It’s meant to build the country based on innovation and knowledge. Because there is no magic in building the nation. We have shifted from merely employment seeking to employment creation. What happened is Zimbabwe grew, it matured, no country can develop with resources it does not have, we focus our knowledge on the resources that we have,” notes Professor Murwira
Professor Murwira says government will continue to play its part to provide a conducive environment for the young minds to thrive and build their economy in an independent Zimbabwe where they are masters of their destiny.
