adminGSU is expected to open its doors for enrolment of students in two faculties, the Faculty of Mining Engineering and the Faculty of Agriculture, in August this year.
In an interview with Chronicle on the sidelines of the handover of a two tonne tipper truck and two engine powered ploughs that were recently donated by Vice President John Nkomo, GSU designate Vice Chancellor Dr Sikhulumani Bayeza Mangena said the issue of establishing a university in Matabeleland South was long over due.
He assured people from the province that by August this year, students would start learning.
“The issue of establishing a university here has taken us about six years. As a Government we agreed that this university should first address challenges facing the province.
“We realised that mining and cattle ranching were key economic activities here hence our resolution to start with the departments of Veterinary Science and Mining Engineering,” said Dr Mangena.
“However, before we enroll students we need to mobilise resources and have offices to operate from and that is what we are doing now. We have already identified some offices in the town and the province must ensure there is basic infrastructure for a start. The conditions are favourable and I am optimistic that by the end of the year we will be operational.”
Dr Mangena urged the community to take a leading role in supporting activities related to the establishment of the university.
On the recruitment of the core staff, he said the university was using resources from its sister institution, the National University of Science and Technology (Nust).
“What is important in establishing a university is adequate manpower. At this stage the university is being incubated by Nust in terms of its personnel and other resources until such a time when it is weaned off. This is a gradual process which is meant to safeguard quality and standards of the new institution. We did that when we established Nust in 1991,” he said.
Dr Mangena is one of the pioneers of Nust. He was the first head of the Department of Computer Science and has worked as a lecturer in the field for a long time.
Speaking at the same occasion, Matabeleland South Governor and Resident Minister Angeline Masuku, who is also patron of the institution, said there was no going back on establishing the university and paid tribute to VP Nkomo for his contribution towards the project.
She also urged House of Assembly Members from the province to lobby for the acceptance of the university’s Bill when it passes through Parliament.
Governor Masuku said the establishment of a university in her province was the fulfillment of President Mugabe’s dreams of having a state university in every province.
Chief Mathema, who was also present during the handover ceremony, expressed gratitude to the Government establishing the university in Gwanda.
The leader of the five-member task force team in charge of the establishment of GSU, Professor Callistus Ndlovu, is on record saying his team was awaiting the approval of the university’s Bill by Parliament before recruiting the core staff.
GSU was given 2,5 hectares of land in Filabusi by Government to undertake farming projects while Gwanda Town Council donated 87 hectares of land towards the building of the university on the eastern side of the JM Nkomo Polytechnic.
Matabeleland South, Manicaland and Mashonaland East are the only provinces in the country that do not have State universities.
The only university in Matabeleland South is the Seventh-Day Adventist Church-run Solusi University.
In the meantime, the university is expected to operate from the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic on a temporary basis while efforts are being made to build its premises adjacent to the college.
The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education appointed Prof Ndlovu to chair the taskforce team, that is made up of committee members who include Bulawayo-based businessperson Mr Obert Sibanda, Labour
Court president Mr Selo Nare and two other members and officials from Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE).
The idea to establish Gwanda State University was mooted sometime in 2004 and since then consultations were being made with suggestions that the JM Nkomo Polytechnic be upgraded to a university.
Online Reporter