Story by Bruce Chahwanda
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa has commissioned a students’ accommodation facility and a new administration block at Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) on the side-lines of the institution’s 20th graduation ceremony.
Student accommodation has been a challenge across the country and the Public Service Pension Fund and its partners have availed modern accommodation facilities for students at CUT.
Officially opening the facility known as Varsity Heights in Chinhoyi this Friday, the President and Chancellor of the university, Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa said the government will continue building a learning ecosystem which responds to the needs of students.
“Given the demand for student accommodation and other requirements, my government will never tire of building a learning ecosystem that is agile, adaptable, and responsive to the needs of our young talented boys and girls. This is critically important as we continue to emphasise a knowledge-driven economy anchored by innovation, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In this regard, the student accommodation facility demonstrates our commitment to improving the welfare of our learners and their academic experience as well as life on campus,” he said.
President Mnangagwa urged the Public Service Pension Fund to actively participate in rural industrialisation and modernisation through investing in commercial properties.
“Going forward, the Fund is directed to develop commercial properties in parts of the country, including at district and ward levels to accelerate rural industrialisation and modernisation. You must never neglect the broader national interest and your investment choice should benefit and be accessible by the majority of our citizens. Such investments, including in the financial sector, will see the Fund playing its part towards fostering economic resilience, stimulating growth and creating jobs, among other benefits,” said the President.
Partnerships have been commended towards greater convergence in driving national development.
President Mnangagwa said, “The on-going national infrastructure projects are demonstrating the efficacy of the whole of government approach, Public Private Partnerships, collaborative planning and robust interventions in accelerating sustainable socioeconomic development. Throughout the various project cycles, government is ensuring strict adherence to the principle of value for money, as well as monitoring and evaluation.”
President Mnangagwa also toured and commissioned the newly built CUT administration block and commended the institution for embracing technology.
“We are witnessing the modernisation and embracing technology. I’m told that everything we see is a result of domestic thinking. This demonstrates that Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/Ilizwe Lakhiwa Labanikhazi balo,” noted the President.
With a capacity to accommodate 384 students, the Varsity Heights student accommodation complex depicts modernity and comfort which also comes with recreational facilities.
