dyton mupawaenda
Fungai Lupande
The 5.0 Education Model has opened opportunities for university students to be creative and turn into successful entrepreneurs who have their country at heart.
This is a clear departure from the old education system, which did not put emphasis on creativity and innovations but on creating white collar workers.
For instance, Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) has come up with innovations and research that address the needs and challenges of the country.
The university has made great strides in drug manufacturing and cosmeceuticals.
A massive Masawu fruit value addition plant is being set up in Mt Darwin and the university has started producing a variety of Masawu products.
Also, Vitamin C syrup and medicinal ointment have been made from Masawu fruit. Vitamin C is anti-fungal.
Also, several beauty cosmetics have been produced by the university including herbal soap, anti-ageing cream, hair food, bio-repair toothpaste and mouthwash.
Prof Admore Mwenje said the university is guided by the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) in infrastructure development and responded to Government calls that all universities ought to have innovation hubs.
“We had lagged but it has been the focus of the Second Republic to improve on our infrastructure and internationalise. We cannot attract international students when they come here and have problems with accommodation or learning facilities,” he said.
“The President made it clear that universities play a major role in industrialisation. We cannot do this if our learning facilities are not in order.
“We need modern equipment which is up to date. Our optometry is equipped to the teeth with modern equipment and all our graduating students were absorbed by industry despite the desire to retain some.”
He said the university is investing heavily in recent and modern equipment.
Prof Mwenje saluted President Mnangagwa for his mantra on industrialisation and modernisation.
“We cannot motivate young people when they are looking at old equipment and when they go out into industry, they realise it’s outdated,” he said.
“We want students from outside the country to conclude that education and facilities in Zimbabwe are good and ultimately come. We are making a change.”
Turning to sanctions, Prof Mwenje said he has first-hand experience with negative effects.
He said the university is also affected by sanctions.
“We are not able to access certain international research and support grants. We are not eligible because our country is under sanction,” he said.
“In some academic meetings, we are not welcome because of the sanctions. The President said we should develop from inwards and this enabled us to survive.
“This year we commissioned the innovation hub, engineering complex and hostel built using Government funds. We cannot wait for things to be better.”
Prof Mwenje said despite sanctions they have kept their quality assurance intact and some of their students are at Oxford University. He said the President’s trust and belief in universities to find home-grown solutions was a turning point, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. The university has kept relations with their diaspora community who are supportive and leveraged on friendly countries like Cuba and Ghana.
Collaborations with Cape Coast and Nottingham Universities have been made, he said.
“The second republic has given opportunities to university and believing in us is taking us far and very important. A lot of positives came out of the hardships,” he said.
Online Reporter