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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
THE Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Professor Jonathan Moyo has said some unemployed graduates crying out for jobs lack the requisite skills needed by industry and commerce.
In a speech delivered at the United College of Education’s 48th graduation ceremony yesterday, Prof Moyo bemoaned the churning out of graduates without appropriate skills by institutions of higher learning. The Minister’s sentiments came a day after unemployed graduates took to the streets in Harare demanding employment.
Prof Moyo said people without the correct skills were occupying key positions in the economy.
“A lot of people with key responsibilities across our economy have the wrong skills. And some of them don’t realise this. All they think they should do is to put their gowns and say ‘give us jobs,’” said Prof Moyo.
“And you ask what can you do? Do you have the skills? Well, other people will look into that question such as my colleagues in the industry and commerce or public service.”
He said colleges and universities need to review their curriculum in line with the economic expectations of the country.
“For us it means that our higher and tertiary education institutions, science and technology must now review their curriculum and begin to develop the skills that our country needs for its industrialisation agenda,” he said.
Prof Moyo said the country’s industrialisation drive cannot be achieved if locals are not trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) subjects.
“Stem has become a very important focus of national policy. Primarily because his Excellency the President, first in our country as a natural expression of the Zim-Asset policy, secondly when he was the chair Sadc and thirdly when he was [chair] of African Union, spearheaded a policy whose conclusion was that a time has come for our country to industrialise and modernise.
“The policy thrust and logical consequence of Zim-Asset is the industrialisation of Zimbabwe,” said Prof Moyo. — @nqotshili
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