Online Reporter
ONE of the country’s oldest teacher training institutions, Hillside Teachers’ College, is today holding its 57th graduation ceremony at its campus in Bulawayo.
The ceremony will be presided over by the Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, Simelisizwe Sibanda.
The ceremony is being held under the theme; Heritage-Based Teacher Education: Commercialising Innovations for National Development.”
Senior Reporter, Sikhumbuzo Moyo and Chief Photographer, Eliah Saushoma are attending the graduation ceremony and will give us live updates.
Hillside Teachers’ College: Pioneering teacher education since 1956
Hillside Teachers’ College is a government institution that provides teacher education for students who wish to be secondary school teachers.
The college was established in 1956 at Heany Junction and moved to its present site in 1962.
At its inception, the college was educating teachers for both primary and secondary schools. It was the first college to be accorded Associate status by the University of Zimbabwe, which was done at the inception of the college.
Hillside Teachers College was the first college mandated to educate Post ‘A’ Level pre-service secondary school teachers. It has pioneered programmes in the education of local and foreign languages, STEM, and practical subject teachers.
The college curriculum keeps evolving in response to the needs of the education sector and the national goals and aspirations.
Expand your horizons: College’s diverse programmes on offer
Programmes on offer at the College are Post Advanced Level course for two years duration with entry requirements being Two Advanced Level passes.
There is also Post Ordinary Level course of three years duration that requires five Ordinary Level subjects. The college also offered Open Distance e-learning (ODeL) for Mathematics and Science teachers (both in-service and pre-service).
It also offers teaching of Chinese Mandarin and French to students and members of the public, alongside six indigenous Languages, Isindebele, ChiShona, Tjikalanga, SeSotho, ChiTonga and TshiVenda.
Newly minted teachers told to adapt, innovate and hold firm to values
In his foreword to the graduands, Hillside Teachers’ College principal Dr Sifelani Jabangwe said the day marks not only the culmination of their rigorous academic pursuit, but also the dawn of a transformative journey as educators, innovators, and custodians of national progress.
He said their achievements stand as a testament to their resilience, dedication, and intellectual growth. “As you step into the professional realm, we celebrate the promise you hold to shape the future of education and to contribute meaningfully to the development of our nation. The Heritage-Based Teacher Education you have received is more than a pedagogical foundation, it is a call to action,” said Dr Jabangwe
He said the syllabi invites the graduands to harness indigenous knowledge systems, commercialise educational innovations, and champion excellence in every sphere of their influence, adding that the institution was confident that the grounding will empower them to lead with vision, integrity, and creativity.
Dr Jabangwe said as the graduands finally step out of the gates of the college and into the broader world, they must remember that their qualification is not just a certificate, it is a responsibility.
He reminded them that the world they are entering is ever-changing, and success will belong to those who adapt, Innovate, and hold firmly to their values.
“Teach not only with your mind, but also with your heart, for it is the lessons of compassion, resilience, and hope that will leave the deepest mark on those you serve. Go forth with confidence, for you carry the knowledge, skills and the calling to shape the future of our nation,” said Dr Jabangwe.
Minister Ncube charges graduands to embody lifelong learning
Bulawayo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube has congratulated 325 Hillside Teachers’ College graduands who are being capped today at the college’s 57th graduation ceremony.
In her welcome remarks, Minister Ncube said the extraordinary achievements by the graduands have been marked by unwavering commitment, intellectual rigour and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.
She said their past has been paved with countless hours of study, critical inquiry, and creative exploration, culminating in today’s capping moment.
“To our graduates, I extend my sincerest congratulations. May this milestone serve not merely as a conclusion, but as a springboard into a future defined by lifelong learning, personal growth, and professional distinction.
Your success stands as a testament to the boundless potential of the human spirit nurtured by visionary educators, sustained by the love of family, and fortified by the collective strength of our community, ” said Minister Ncube.
She also saluted representatives from the University of Zimbabwe, particularly those from the Centre for Teacher Education and Material Development, saying their continued partnership and intellectual stewardship are invaluable to the academic community.
In line with the theme of the graduation ceremony, Minister Ncube said Government is deeply committed to fostering synergies that propel the objectives of Heritage-Based Teacher Education 5.0, wherein the commercialisation of innovations derived from indigenous knowledge systems catalyzes sustainable national development.
Our government strives to create platforms for dialogue, resource mobilization and mentorship, thereby ensuring that the talents of Heritage-Based Teacher Education are not only upheld but also served as a vanguard for progress.
“For progressive heritage conscious development in our nation, I reaffirm my dedication to championing initiatives that promote academic excellence, creativity and critical thought, pillars that will uphold our shared aspiration of realizing His Excellency President Mnangagwa’s vision, that of an upper-middle-income economy by 2030,” said Minister Ncube.
“No Going Back” on STEM Education in Tertiary Institutions – Deputy Minister
THERE is no going back in the teaching of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the country’s tertiary institutions, a senior government official has said.
Giving his keynote address at the Hillside Teachers’ College’s 67th graduation ceremony, which was held at the institution’s campus on Thursday, Deputy Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation and Technology Development Simelisizwe Sibanda noted government’s commitment towards the teaching of STEM subjects.
The Deputy Minister capped 325 graduands, of which 227 were females and 98 males.
“It is pleasing to note that 150 of these graduands are graduating in STEM disciplines. It is heartening to note that this college continues to contribute meaningfully to the Government’s vision of advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in our nation,” said Dep Minister Sibanda.
He, however, said while celebrations may be in order regards the achievement, the college must continue to devise strategies and incentives that will further boost enrolment and completion rates in these critical areas, with particular emphasis on supporting and inspiring the girl child to confidently pursue STEM pathways.
“I am reliably informed that the college facilitated the participation of some female students in the Women in STEM expo. This inspires and encourages female participation in STEM,” said Deputy Minister Sibanda.
He said the graduation ceremony was not merely to mark an academic milestone, but to celebrate the blossoming of promise, purpose, and possibility.
Deputy Minister Sibanda said the ceremony is a symbolic convergence of achievement and aspiration, where the fruits of intellectual labour meet the seeds of national transformation.
“Our chosen theme, ‘Heritage-Based Teacher Education: Commercializing Innovations for National Development’, speaks profoundly to our collective vision as a nation steeped in cultural richness and poised for forward-looking progress. It is a clarion call to reimagine education not as a static transmission of knowledge, but as a dynamic force rooted in identity, creativity, and enterprise,” he said.
The Deputy Minister hailed the graduands as torchbearers of a new educational paradigm, an embodiment of national aspirations, and the journey reflects the transformative power of heritage-based learning. He said the gathering stands as a living testament to the vibrancy of the African heritage, the fertile soil from which the educational philosophies and pedagogies draw sustenance.
“I wish to reaffirm the ethos of Heritage-Based Education philosophy that anchors learners in their cultural foundations while simultaneously equipping them to navigate the shifting terrain of global progress. Under the Second Republic, this philosophy weaves together the threads of national identity, industrialisation, and modernisation,” said Deputy Minister Sibanda.
Hillside Teachers’ College celebrated as beacon of excellence in education
HILLSIDE Teachers’ College serves as a shining beacon of excellence in teacher education, University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo has said.
In a speech read on his behalf by Professor Emmanuel Chabata, Head of the University’s Centre for Teacher Education and Material Development, at the College’s 67th graduation ceremony, Prof Mapfumo said the institution embodies core values of the national education transformation agenda that is rooted in the ideals of Education 5.0.
“It is our collective míssion to train educators who will not only teach, but also create, innovate and commercialize their knowledge for the benefit of Zimbabwe and the region,” said Prof Mapfumo.
He said the ceremony was not just a celebration of academic achievement but the nation was releasing a cohort of purpose-driven educators, innovators and agents of social and technological change.
“This is a shared honour for us all as well as having walked the journey together under the guiding vision of the University of Zimbabwe, with Hillside Teachers College serving as a shining beacon of excellence in teacher education,” said Prof Mapfumo.
He told the graduands that in the age of information overload and global connectivity, their role is no longer just about delivering content, but they are the translators of higher education knowledge, tasked with taking complex concepts and making them accessible, relevant ad engaging for the next generation of learners.
Prof Mapfumo said the graduands are the change agents who will empower learners to engage critically with their heritage, see themselves in the curriculum and explore their environment with a product development orientation.
“By fostering this environment, you become visionaries, helping your students to imagine industry-driven futures rooted in our cultural legacy. You are also the heritage stalwarts, the guardians of our cultural legacy who will ensure that our traditions and knowledge systems are not lost but are instead a launch pad for modern innovation,” said Prof Mapfumo.
The graduation ceremony comes to an end, thank you for following our live updates.
Bongani Ndlovu