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Bulawayo Bureau
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday capped 190 students who graduated with degrees in different academic disciplines during the fourth graduation ceremony at Lupane State University.
The President, who is also Chancellor of all state universities, officially commissioned the Faculty of Agriculture Building worth about US$16 million after the graduation ceremony, paving way for the relocation of the institution from Bulawayo.
The graduates were drawn from the Faculties of Agricultural Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, with females constituting 42,1 percent.
Of the 190 graduates, 22 attained masters’ degrees in development studies, while an additional 103 students were awarded certificates after completing diploma courses.
In his report, LSU acting Vice Chancellor Dr Maclean Bhala said the eight-year old institution continued to grow as evidenced by its increasing enrolment of about 2 000 students and the ongoing construction work on campus.
He appealed for increased Government support to expedite the construction of staff and students accommodation to facilitate the relocation of the university, which operates from rented premises in Bulawayo.
“Your Excellency, we had it in our strategic plan to relocate to our site by the end of 2014 all things being equal, but as you can see from the ground so far covered, we still have some mileage to cover the fulfilment of that dream,” said Dr Bhala.
He said the official opening of the agricultural block necessitated an even bigger drive to expedite the completion of the students’ residence block, which is at 60 percent completion.
Dr Bhala said the fund-raising programme initiated by the late Vice President John Landa Nkomo in 2011 had leveraged the institution above its humble beginnings.
He said the university was mindful of its obligation in assisting Government in the fulfilment of the objectives of the new economic blue-print Zim Asset, especially on matters of education and food production.
The university, he said, was in the process of acquiring land for carrying out commercial farming and research in its quest to transform communities with knowledge and research based production approaches.
Dr Bhala challenged the graduates to utilise the knowledge and skills they acquired during training to improve the country’s economy and create job opportunities for many.
The new agricultural complex consists of several well equipped laboratories, lecture rooms and offices, while the academic block has two lecture threatres with a capacity of carrying 150 students each.
Online Reporter