Chronicle Editor
Yoliswa Dube-Moyo, Matabeleland South Bureau Chief
MATABELELAND South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Abednico Ncube has urged Government to expedite the construction of the Gwanda State University (GSU) main campus in the mining town.
GSU is operating from its Epoch Mine Campus in Filabusi which has limited technical learning infrastructure.
Government allocated the University 87 hectares of land in Gwanda town, which is yet to be developed amid concerns that delays may stifle the growth of the university.
Speaking during a briefing before a tour of the Engineering Laboratory and Innovation Complex under construction at the university’s Epoch Mine Campus in Filabusi on Wednesday, Minister Ncube said there was a need to speed the construction of the Gwanda campus.
“The land was long allocated to the university but construction of the main campus is yet to begin. We would be happy if the project could take shape so that more students can be admitted into the university,” said Minister Ncube.
He said the university will not be beneficial to children in Matabeleland South only but the whole country.
“This is a national university and it will be open to everyone hence we want construction of the univerisity to start as soon as possible,” said Minister Ncube.
He applauded the new dispensation under the leadership of President Mnangagwa for the developments at the Epoch Mine Campus.
“GSU had been around for many years, just on paper without much progress but we’re happy that the Epoch Mine Campus is developing.
It’s not just the university that is growing but we’ve seen a lot of development in the province under the Second Republic.
For example, the construction of Tuli-Manyange Dam had been on the cards for many years but it’s finally taking shape,” said Minister Ncube.
GSU vice chancellor Professor Doreen Moyo said accreditation of the university’s engineering programmes by ZIMCHE had stalled due to lack of well-equipped laboratories to ensure that students attain the required skills and competencies.
“Mining and engineering students constitute 80 percent of the GSU student population. Matabeleland South province is endowed with mineral wealth and there is need to provide appropriate solutions in exploration, extraction, beneficiation and value addition which leads to sustained economic growth,” said Prof Moyo.
Gwanda State University was established through an Act of Parliament.
The University inherited former Epoch Mine infrastructure that need to be upgraded to university standards.
At its inception, the university was incubated by the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) and offered Engineering and Agriculture programmes with a heavy reliance on Nust laboratories for student practicals.
In 2016, the university was weaned from Nust and as a corporate body, it had to offer its own programmes in line with its mandate that is; engineering, agriculture and environmental restoration.
Due to the nature of the science programmes that are on offer and the high cost of shuttling students between Epoch Mine Campus and Nust as well as the Zimbabwe School of Mines, construction of requisite laboratory infrastructure that has state-of-the-art equipment became imperative.
— @Yolisswa
Online Reporter