Story by Mthokozisi Dube
THE National Independent Colleges Association of Zimbabwe (NICAZ) has staged its inaugural track and field championships at White City Stadium in Bulawayo, marking a new chapter for the sector.
NICAZ vice president for sport and academic affairs, Leornard Ngwenya, said the initiative is aimed at identifying and developing talent.
“As NICAZ, we are having our first athletics and field championships, where we have more than 2000 colleges. We used to have competitions at school level and with these competitions, we believe our learners will be better positioned to represent the country.”
Government has also endorsed the move towards broader inclusion. Guest of Honour and Director of Non-Formal Education in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Gabriel Mhuma, said the platform could shape future national representatives.
“It is a welcome development to see these independent colleges converging and giving these learners a platform to compete and be considered to represent the country. It is an inaugural competition and we want to see these competitions culminate in finals between formal learners and non-formal learners.”
For the athletes, the championships signal fresh opportunity.
“I have won the 10 000-metre race. I want more of these to make my name and be able to represent Zimbabwe,” an athlete said.
“The future looks bright. I believe I have what it takes to represent Zimbabwe in future competitions,” another added.
The participation of learners previously outside mainstream selection pathways reflects a shift towards wider talent identification, with the championships providing a structured route for development and national representation.
