Hwange college construction at an advanced stage

Fairness Moyana in Hwange

PLANS for the construction of Hwange College of Education (HCE) campus are at an advanced stage with a master plan and architectural designs having been completed after Hwange Local Board (HLB) donated 19 hectares of land for the development.

This also follows the surveying of the roads by students from Bulawayo Polytechnic while a bulldozer from CMED is now on site to begin road construction. The move will see the institution addressing the infrastructural challenges which inhibited it from enrolling large numbers of students. The college with an enrolment of 150 students has been forced to set up an open space learning shed. 

Giving his report during the inaugural graduation ceremony of 140 graduands at HCE last Wednesday, college principal, Dr Adam Luthuli said the institution was on the verge of embarking on a massive construction project. 

“Guest of honour, sir, let me point out this venue we are using today is temporary, we have a college site. HLB donated 19 hectares of land where a standard college is going to be built. A master plan and architectural designs were produced by Nust. Roads were surveyed by Bulawayo Polytechnic. A CMED bulldozer is now in Hwange for the road construction at the site. The college is about to undertake a massive construction project of the institution,” said Dr Luthuli. 

He said once complete the world class facility would be a first of its kind in the country as it would be alive to the realities of climate change as well as the need to foster and harness clean energy. Since its establishment on 27 May 2019, the training institution was then known as Hwange Teachers’ College before its name change on 12 July 2022 at the presentation of architectural drawings to the head ministry. It has been housed at Thomas Coulter Primary School annex. 

Dr Luthuli said the college was among other Government policy goals, a response to calls enshrined in the Constitution to promote and advance the use of all languages especially minority ones. The young college offers ChiTonga, ChiNambya and IsiNdebele. 

Despite going through various challenges such as Covid-19 and limited resources the first cohorts of 140 graduates completed their course with a 100 percent pass rate. The college said through its Education 5.0, it sought to produce exceptional educators who would be able to infuse solutions using local indigenous knowledge systems.

“We as a young college seek to produce teachers that will be the bricks for success of this great nation. These exceptional educators will not only proffer solutions to local problems using indigenous knowledge systems and resources but will be catalysts in building this great nation.” 

Meanwhile, Chief Whange applauded the certification of the pioneer graduates arguing that it would go a long way in ensuring learners were taught in their mother tongue.

“This is a welcome development which will assist in ensuring that the communities are empowered in terms of education. The fact that we have local teachers who will be teaching using local languages this will help even in preserving minority languages. We implore Government to ensure that these children quickly get jobs so that they don’t waste time in improving the state of education in the district.”

In line with Education 5.0, HCE has embraced innovation and industrialisation with plans already underway to fully venture into producing goods and services. This comes after its locally produced products such as tamarind juice, jam, yoghurt, coffee and Bustiwayi all made from indigenous fruits are being sought after following an exhibition at ZITF earlier this year. 

To ensure the safety of its products the college is investing in scientific tests for toxics and nutritional content. Land for the project set to commence next year has been identified with 11 graduates led by their SRC president Promise Nyoni having registered interest in running a consortium school. 

The graduation ceremony was officiated by the permanent secretary, Professor Fanuel Tagwira who was standing in for the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Prof Amon Murwira. Also present was UZ vice Chancellor Prof Paul Mapfumo, service chiefs, traditional leaders and stakeholders.