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it waits construction for its own compus.
Acting LSU bursar Mr Smile Sibanda said since 2005 the LSU was using rented premises scattered in Bulawayo.
“We are paying US$40 000 every month on rentals. We use the National Railways of Zimbabwe Training Centre, the Zimdef Training Centre and Pioneer House in Bulawayo among others.
“Our offices are scattered all over in Bulawayo,” he said.
Mr Sibanda was briefing Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister Tapiwa Mashakada last Friday who toured the university’s Faculty of Agriculture and student hostels that are under construction in Lupane.
He said it was their desire to relocate to Lupane by August next year. Mr Sibanda said they had projected to finish construction of the Faculty of Agriculture before graduation tentatively set for November 16.
He said they also wanted to be connected to the Zesa power grid before they relocate from Bulawayo.
“If we are not connected, we can not relocate. The Faculty of Agriculture and student hostels that are under construction do not have power.
“These are some of the critical issues that should be done to facilitate our relocation,” he said.
Mr Sibanda said next year they were prioritising construction of staff accommodation. He said without staff accommodation, the student hostels and the Faculty of Agriculture could not be opened.
The two student hostels that are under construction would accommodate 704 students.
When completed, LSU would have six faculties that include Faculty of Natural Resources, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Performing Arts.
Currently LSU has 1 500 students in the Faculties of Agriculture and Humanities.
Minister Mashakada said Government remained committed to completing the construction of the Lupane State University.
Government, he said, wanted to build a strong skill base after losing thousands of skilled personnel in the past few years.
Minister Mashakada said the LSU was one of the projects that were being prioritised under the Medium Term Plan.
“The Medium Term Plan prioritises higher education as it is the basis of skills development. This country lost a lot of skills and we really prioritise this university under the MTP,” he said.
Minister Mashakada said although financial resources were a major setback, Government would do everything in its capacity to ensure that construction of the LSU was completed.
He said his tour of the institution was part of a Government programme to review the MTP launched in 2010.
Minister Mashakada said he had already toured projects in other provinces adding that he would present an overall progress report to Cabinet.
“We are here to try to confirm whether projects identified under the MTP are on course.
“We are going to produce an overall progress report on the one year implementation of the MTP so that we will know what we have to fine tune in the remaining four years,” he said.
Online Reporter