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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge residents have implored the Government and its partners to consider setting up vocational training centres and institutions of higher learning to minimise the challenges they are having accessing such facilities in other towns.
At the moment the district with an estimated population of 300 000 has no such facility and those interested in pursuing higher education are travelling to Gwanda, Gweru, Masvingo, Harare and South Africa.
In separate interviews the residents said the state of affairs was affecting issues of self-development among most youths some of whom are turning to crime such as drugs abuse.
“We are very concerned and our appeal is for investor to consider setting up such facilities to address the challenges our children are facing,” said Pastor Andile Nyathi.
“He said a lot of people were willing to further their studies but were being discouraged by the deficiencies of such facilities.
“It is important that the youths have full access to such facilities where they can develop themselves as effective human resources or even life skills at vocational training centres”.
Beitbridge Mayor, Councillor Munyaradzi Chitsunge, said the opening of vocational training centres or colleges was long overdue.
He said the local authority was equally concerned and has been engaging a number of higher learning facilities to open even campuses in the town to cater for the Beitbridge community.
“It’s a long overdue project. Most of the children from Beitbridge are experiencing a difficult life in other towns especially on accommodation, if they can’t get resident accommodation within some colleges and universities.
In other instances, some have had to go to South African colleges which are very expensive not because they can afford, but they will have failed to secure places at other colleges it other towns inland,” said Cllr Chitsunge.
Miss Patience Moyo of Tshithaudze suburb said female students were the worst affected by the current state of affairs in the town.
She said many of these were easily giving up on their dreams because of the unavailability of facilities.
Those, from generally poor families, she said they were finding the going tough on issues of keeping up with exorbitant accommodation, general upkeep costs while in other urban areas.
“The establishment of colleges or universities in our district will be a great blessing for the community.
A lot of our good O and A level graduates decide to shelve and go for hustling after making bus fare calculations and realising loss,” she said.
A youth development champion, Miss Thandeka Mukandatsama said the hardest hit people were those in the rural communities of the district.
She said there are a lot of spill over economic development benefits that community members and businesses could exploit with the opening of institutions of higher education. “Such a development will promote community development especially the rural community as they now have easier access to higher learning.
There are a lot of opportunities that will come with this project like employment and enriching the local culture,” she added.
According to Ms Tsamelengi Nyagomo of Mugwazhuli area, the establishment of more education facility would save as motivation to many youth and enhance the transition from high school to professional trainings.
Online Reporter