Africa must produce, feed itself — President

Mashudu Netsianda in Victoria Falls
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has called for a paradigm shift in Africa’s education systems, urging stakeholders to adopt transformative strategies that will equip learners with practical skills to drive the continent’s industrialisation and economic growth.

Speaking at the 3rd Africa Education Summit in Victoria Falls yesterday, the President boldly stressed the need for education on the continent to move beyond policy discussions and reforms towards tangible action that translates learning into development.

“Building the Africa we want, demands a continuous paradigm shift from us stakeholders, policy makers, educators, innovators and learners alike,” he told the delegates. Bold and decisive strategies have to be adopted so that we foster education systems that inculcate solution-driven minds and not produce merely certificate-holding graduates. Our discussions during this summit must, therefore, enable convergence towards scaling up transformative strategies that drive education and developmental progress across Africa. Together, we have yet another opportunity to innovate, think outside the box and promote impactful best practices to up-scale resilient systems, as we shape the future of our continent through education.”

President Mnangagwa said there was an urgent need for skills-based education, urging institutions to bridge the gap between academic learning and industry needs.

“Our schools and institutions of higher learning must become incubators of innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership, taking into account our indigenous knowledge systems,” he said. “Students and graduates should be capacitated to produce goods and services that meet the demands of our communities.

“We must become a continent that can produce and feed itself.”

The establishment of innovation hubs at the country’s state universities has already kick-started Zimbabwe’s industrial modernisation agenda through the pursuit of the Education 5.0 policy, which has so far seen the Government registering over 500 patents in various fields, thereby aiding national development.

Universities with innovation hubs and industrial parks so far are the National University of Science and Technology, Midlands State University, University of Zimbabwe, Harare Institute of Technology, Zimbabwe Defence University, and the Chinhoyi University of Technology.

Despite progress in literacy rates and access to higher education, President Mnangagwa said Africa still faces significant challenges in the education sector, including resource shortages and lack of trained educators.

He pointed out that about 30 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, are out of school and called for increased collaboration among African states in teacher training to address this gap and ensure inclusive education.

“Zimbabwe is ready to share experiences in this regard,” said President Mnangagwa, stressing the importance of knowledge exchange among nations.

To reduce school absenteeism due to poverty, Zimbabwe has implemented a nationwide School Feeding Programme covering both rural and urban schools.

“In our case as Zimbabwe, increased school infrastructure across the country, especially in new settlements has ensured that learners do not walk more than 5km to access educational facilities,” said President Mnangagwa.

Government has also embarked on a project to sink a borehole at every rural school and village, complemented by nutrition gardens to enhance food security, water access and sanitation in schools.

“Let us build on the solid foundation set out at previous engagements under this initiative to leap forward our education systems. To further translate our educational advancement for continental development, it is important to be holistic in our propositions, taking into account the unique African realities,” said President Mnangagwa.

“The quality of education varies widely, with many institutions lacking adequate resources and trained educators. These gaps and disparities hinder our ability to harness the full potential of our youth and translate educational advancements into tangible development outcomes,” he added.

President Mnangagwa further stressed the need for Africa to invest in clean energy and modern infrastructure to fully integrate ICTs, e-learning, and digital transformation in education

“Limited access to energy hinders prospects for most African learners, especially those in rural communities. Hence, investments in clean energy, along with modern school infrastructure, must now be deemed a dual necessity,” he noted.

Calling for further support for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, alongside vocational training and digital literacy, he said these will ensure students graduate with skills that empower them to create jobs and establish industries.

“Our students should exit education institutions with skills that empower them to create jobs, establish viable industries and solve societal challenges. Therefore, the need to enhance collaboration, scale up synergies and strengthen partnerships cannot be over emphasised,” he said.

Under the Second Republic, President Mnangagwa said Government has increased support for the provision of modern teaching and learning materials.

“These are having a positive impact on learning outcomes and resulting in dynamic teaching-learning processes that benefit both learners and educators. The digital divide remains a significant barrier to educational access across the continent,” he said.

“Leveraging technology to bridge the educational divide will, in the main, enable even the most remote communities to access quality learning. Our governments have a duty to increase support for infrastructure to broaden digital access and literacy, particularly for students and teachers.”

President Mnangagwa noted that limited access to energy hinders prospects for most African learners, especially those in rural communities.

“Hence, investments in clean energy, along with modern school infrastructure, must now be deemed a dual necessity. This is more urgent given the centrality of energy access for the deployment of ICTs, e-learning, innovation and overall digital transformation industrialisation of Africa,” he said.

“Ultimately, e-learning platforms, smart classrooms and Artificial Intelligence driven learning tools should no longer be luxuries but day to day teaching and learning necessities.”

Under the Second Republic, the Government has increased support for modern teaching and learning materials, resulting in improved learning outcomes,” said the President. “Resource centres and libraries with digital capabilities are being promoted across the country, with the establishment of community information centres and deployment of mobile information buses.

“Furthermore, the country’s education reforms have seen curriculum revisions aimed at fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.

“We are ensuring that education is accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic background, gender, or disability. Women and girls, in particular, must be empowered to excel in all fields and contribute meaningfully to our continent’s progress,” said President Mnangagwa.

The 3rd Africa Education Summit is a premier event dedicated to fostering educational advancement across the continent. The event, which started on Thursday and ending today, brought together education ministers, policymakers and stakeholders from across Africa to deliberate on strategies for enhancing the continent’s education systems in line with Agenda 2063 and Vision 2030.

It is running under the theme: “Translating our Educational Advancement to Continental Development.”

The summit is jointly hosted by Global Skills Hub United Kingdom, Africa Education Stakeholders, and the government of Zimbabwe. It seeks to create a transformative experience that will drive educational and developmental progress across Africa.