adminPost Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has been urged to come up with funding mechanisms for graduates from Technical Vocational Education and Training institutions to start small techno-plants and create employment.This was said by Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Dr Godfrey Gandawa during Mutare Polytechnic College’s 26th graduation ceremony recently.
The graduation ceremony which ran under the theme: “Economic Empowerment and Growth through TVET-isation” saw a total of 1 049 students who went through training entrepreneurship skills development in the various programmes offered by the college graduating.
Dr Gandawa recommended Government to find financial ways to hold up graduates from the various TVET institutions in the country and aid them so that they set off small techno-plants thereby creating employment for themselves and a whole lot other unemployed graduates across the country.
“There is need to establish and enhance Government policy framework on the Entrepreneurship Investment Programme which will foster skills and development for increased productivity in order to stimulate economic growth and employment creation.
“TVET and entrepreneurship training provide gainful employment, be it paid or self employment to the recipient which is the base for industrialisation and technological development, the society needs women and men who are capable of establishing businesses that would help cushion the adverse effects of mass unemployment and poverty which entrepreneurial skill in TVET affords.
“Government therefore has to financially or otherwise assist those specially trained young people because I am confident that with start up capital these graduates will make a difference,” he said.
Dr Gandawa said most SMEs in the country had failed due to a disconnection between learning, developing and the management of skills.
He went on to tell the graduates that it was not enough to acquire skills without the capacity to manage one’s self due to lack of education as he urged them at the same time to contribute to the development of their communities
Said Dr Gandawa: “As Government, we also encourage the private sector also to participate in the delivery of Technical Vocational Education and Training and then exploit the skills developed for the development of their businesses and the development of the entire industry sector.”
He said Government, business, industry, private sector and academics join hands and vigorously pursue the revival of the economy through TVET and practical competences required by the economy, the youth and the whole nation in particular would be removed from the shackles of poverty which is currently holding the country at ransom.
The college principal, Ms Poniso Watema hailed the 1 049 graduates for not despairing during the journey, but going on till their graduation.
Ms Watema praised the graduates for having completed their courses successfully regardless of the fact that they had stumbled on many hard rocks during their journey.
Said the principal: “The institution has trained you to become professionals who will continue to contribute to national development and it is guaranteed that you as Mutare Polytechnic’s TVET produce will excel and create employment for the rest of all your peers who could not find the opportunity to come and be trained by the institution.”
Online Reporter