Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
A total of 515 students yesterday graduated from the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic in Gwanda, Matabeleland South.
Of the graduates, 356 hailed from the Teacher Education Division, while the Technical Division saw 159 students moving onward and upwards.
The ceremony was officiated by Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Simelisizwe Sibanda, who stood in for the Minister, Dr Fredrick Shava, who could not be present.
In his speech read by Deputy Minister Sibanda, Dr Shava conveyed his congratulations to all the graduates, stressing the Government’s commitment to supporting their entrepreneurial pursuits.
He underlined the importance of creating new businesses that not only benefit the individual but also, by extension, contribute to the development of the country as a whole.
The Government has already demonstrated its commitment to this goal by providing both financial and legal support to graduates seeking to become their own bosses. By enabling graduates to start their own companies and create job opportunities for themselves and others, the Government aims to ensure that Vision 2030 is achieved without compromising the country’s prosperity.
“Our National Vision is to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy by 2030 through innovation and industrialisation. Teacher education colleges and our polytechnics play a pivotal role in informing the achievement of this goal.
“The purpose of education is to impart knowledge, skills and attitudes that lead to a nation’s development. The thrust of the Second Republic is to deliver Heritage Based Education 5.0 that focuses on developing graduates with the right knowledge, skills and attitudes, to make our nation formidable,” said Dr Shava.
He commended the graduation theme “Skills development: A catalyst for a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030”, as it buttresses Heritage Based Education 5.0, which has revolutionised higher and tertiary education in the country.
He said teachers are no longer designed to just stand in front of the class but to explore the whole education value chain through ideation for industrialisation.
He also said the Secondary Science School Teachers programme, a brainchild of President Mnangagwa, is a deliberate effort to increase the number of students taking science subjects in response to the National Skills Audit results of 2018, which showed a three percent skills level in natural sciences.
The programme is expected to close the gap in skills shortage. Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic is one of the four primary school teacher training colleges that were identified to embark on a dual model of training, which is to train both primary school teachers in General Course and Early Childhood Development (ECD) programmes as well as science and mathematics secondary school teachers.
Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic principal, Dr Ngoni Moyo, said in line with Heritage Based 5.0 philosophy, the college is actively engaged in the curriculum transformation process in both teacher and technical education.
She said 16 918 graduands had been churned out by the Division of Teacher Education since the establishment of the institution in 1981. A total of 3 850 students have graduated from the Division of Technical Education since 2004.
“In implementing our mandate as an institution, we are guided by Zimbabwe’s economic blueprint, the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which among other provisions states that during the NDS1 period, the Government’s thrust is on the Heritage Based Education 5.0. It seeks to equip students with skills that empower them to become innovative towards societal development through transformative science, technology and knowledge application that delivers goods and services.
“The Polytechnic has therefore chosen to celebrate this year’s grand occasion under the theme, ‘Skills development: A catalyst for a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030’,” she said.
Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu, said in line with NDS1, stakeholders in the province have a role to play in creating an enabling environment that promotes human capital development initiatives.
“I’m pleased that as Matabeleland South province, we have many opportunities to contribute towards the attainment of Vision 2030, especially through programmes run by higher and tertiary institutions such as Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic, through programmes such as the Integrated Skills Outreach Programme(ISEOP).
“As a province, we stand committed to the Ministry’s Heritage-Based Education 5.0 philosophy in our quest to contribute to the nation’s development towards a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030,” she said.
Online Reporter