Education 5.0 teaches Kwekwe Polytech students to innovate

Patrick Chitumba

Midlands Bureau Chief

THE country’s heritage-based Education 5.0 model, which focuses on innovation, industrialisation and modernisation, is yielding fruitful results at Kwekwe Polytechnic College.

Students at the college are demonstrating exceptional creativity and problem-solving skills by developing practical solutions to real-world challenges in the mining industry.

Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Owen Ncube, who visited the polytechnic on Tuesday, was impressed by the work of the students who have embraced Education 5.0.

He said the students were coming up with innovations that were addressing industrial needs.

They have also come up with innovations that have improved agricultural production while those in the building and engineering sectors are enhancing quality of buildings and other infrastructure.

Addressing lecturers and students after seeing their innovations, Minister Ncube said the Second Republic took a bold and strategic policy shift by introducing transformative socio-economic and political reforms since its inception in November 2017.

“The reforms are guided by the New Dispensation’s desire to modernise and industrialise the economy and improve the livelihoods of communities as envisioned by President Mnangagwa. Today’s event adds another dimension in our pursuit of national development anchored on heritage-based economic recovery and growth.”

Minister Ncube said the low-cost artisanal mining hoist and gold concentrator were excellent examples of how the students are applying theoretical knowledge to address practical issues thereby promoting sustainability and economic growth.

He said the approach would contribute to the country’s industrial development and mineral sector growth.

“This synergetic relationship is the basis upon which teaching, research, community service innovation and industrialisation forming education 5.0 speaks to and resonates with the New Dispensation’s endeavour to leapfrog our development driven by our comparative advantage in human and natural resource endowments.”

Minister Ncube said under the National Development Strategy 1, the Second Republic was seized with harnessing the demographic dividend of the youths who comprised the majority of students in tertiary institutions.

He applauded Kwekwe Polytechnic College for strategically positioning itself towards the conversion of ideas into tangible goods and services that benefit communities.

Minister Ncube said the college produced an electronic mining hoist, gold concentrator, electric cattle spray run, Pfumvudza/Intwasa hole digging machine and hybrid small grain thresher among several products that were already in use.

“These innovations resonate with the Second Republic’s Heritage-based education 5.0 model. I urge other colleges to emulate the high level of innovation which we have witnessed here today,” said Minister Ncube.

Mr Aaron Moyo, a student who made a non-electrical stockfeed machine said: “The machine can be used in areas where there is no electricity to produce stockfeeds.”

Mr Moyo said through the Education 5.0 model, he was now equipped to face the world.

“The knowledge and skills gained here will certainly be vital in future,” he said.