Online Reporter
Tongai Mashonga [email protected]
THE Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model is producing graduates equipped not only to seek employment but also to create jobs, develop innovative products and provide solutions to national challenges, as Zimbabwe accelerates its drive towards becoming an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income economy by 2030, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Dr Frederick Shava has said.
Speaking through his deputy, Simelisizwe Sibanda, at Kwekwe Polytechnic’s 41st graduation ceremony yesterday, Dr Shava challenged graduates to embrace entrepreneurship, innovation and problem-solving rather than relying solely on the shrinking formal job market.
“Do not limit yourselves to just seeking employment, be courageous enough to establish businesses, develop products, offer services and create jobs. In doing so, you will become true ambassadors of Heritage-Based Education 5.0 and active participants in Vision 2030,” he said.
The graduation ceremony was held under the theme, “Skilled Human Capital – Propelling Heritage-Based Innovation, Digitalisation and Rural Transformation.”
Dr Shava said Government remained committed to strengthening Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education as part of efforts to build a skilled workforce capable of driving industrialisation, innovation and technological advancement.
“The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development remains unwavering in strengthening STEM education to produce engineers, technicians, scientists, technologists, and innovators who will drive Zimbabwe’s transformation for generations,” he said.
He said the high number of STEM graduates produced by Kwekwe Polytechnic reflected the institution’s alignment with national development priorities and the evolving needs of industry.
Of the 1 386 students who graduated, 1 164 were enrolled in STEM-related programmes, representing about 84 percent of the graduating class.
Kwekwe Polytechnic currently has a student population of 4 548, with 82,2 percent pursuing STEM-related disciplines.
Dr Shava said the institution was also making notable progress in promoting inclusive access to technical and vocational education.
He said 32 students living with disabilities were enrolled at the polytechnic, while the number of beneficiaries under the Work for Fees programme rose from 17 last year to 41 this year.
Under the Integrated Skills Outreach Expansion Programme (ISOEP), 142 candidates are currently registered, with 48 community members already trained and trade-tested.
The graduating class comprised 822 men and 564 women, accounting for 59 percent and 41 percent respectively.
Dr Shava said Government would continue implementing targeted interventions aimed at narrowing the gender gap, particularly in STEM fields where women remain underrepresented.
“On gender, the graduating class reflected 59 percent male and 41 percent female. Deliberate policy interventions will move the country closer to parity, especially in STEM,” he said.
The minister also highlighted the growing role of tertiary institutions in developing practical solutions to national and community challenges through innovation.
Among Kwekwe Polytechnic’s innovations are a Pfumvudza hole-digging machine and a silage-making machine, while its smart hybrid density-control traffic-light system has already been installed in Mutare.
“These innovations demonstrate that our institutions are not only centres of learning, but are becoming engines of innovation, industrialisation and community development,” Dr Shava said.
He encouraged graduates to commercialise their innovations and use their technical skills to solve problems within their communities and industries.
Dr Shava also warned against drug and substance abuse, saying the scourge continued to threaten the country’s efforts to harness its youthful population as a driver of economic growth and development.
“Let us also decisively reject the scourge of drug and substance abuse, which robs our youth of their dreams, health, productivity and lives. Let us choose discipline over destruction, purpose over addiction, and hope over despair,” he said.
He commended Kwekwe Polytechnic staff, parents and industry partners for their support throughout the students’ academic journey.
The minister said the graduates’ success reflected the value of investing in skills development, innovation and human capital.
“Your hard work, perseverance, commitment, and sacrifice have borne fruit. This ceremony is a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration, shared vision, and collective commitment to education and empowerment,” he said.
The emphasis on STEM education, innovation, entrepreneurship and practical skills is central to the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model, which seeks to transform higher and tertiary education from a system focused solely on teaching and research into one that promotes innovation, industrialisation and the development of solutions tailored to Zimbabwe’s socio-economic needs.
Bunjiwe Mkwananzi