Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) has been commended for aligning its programmes with the Government’s devolution and decentralisation agenda, as demonstrated by the establishment of a Midlands Regional Campus in Gweru and other provinces across the country.
Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Owen Ncube, recently toured the Midlands Regional Campus and praised the institution for supporting President Mnangagwa’s vision of bringing services closer to the people. This is in line with the Second Republic’s commitment to inclusive development, encapsulated by the mantra “leaving no one and no place behind.”
“We commend ZOU for aligning its programmes with the New Dispensation’s devolution and decentralisation agenda, as shown through the establishment of a regional campus in every province of Zimbabwe,” he said.
“This positive development resonates with the Second Republic’s vision, under the able and visionary leadership of President Mnangagwa, to bring services closer to the people, guided by the principle of leaving no one and no place behind.”
Minister Ncube noted that ZOU has stationed substantive officers in Gokwe North, Gokwe South and Zvishavane, providing timely and accessible services to residents in these remote districts.
“As the country transitions into the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which encompasses personalised learning, digital literacy and skills, critical thinking and problem-solving, I am reliably informed that the university plans to establish E-learning district centres to offer digital learning services at sub-national levels,” he said.
The university is also playing a significant role in advancing national development by implementing Government policies and programmes that promote human capital development in line with Vision 2030.
“This innovative approach has contributed immensely towards the NDS1 pillar on human capital development, with over 53,000 students from the private sector, Government departments and the general public, positively impacting national development through improved performance. This supports our collective journey towards achieving an upper-middle-income economy by 2030, as envisioned by President Mnangagwa,” he said. Since its inception in November 2017, the Second Republic has made bold and strategic policy decisions to transform the education sector through the Education 5.0 philosophy.
“I wish to applaud ZOU Midlands Campus for strategically positioning itself to convert ideas into tangible goods and services that benefit communities and the Midlands provincial economy. The campus has fully embraced the Education 5.0 model, with students driving production and productivity in sectors such as mining, agriculture, tourism, construction, manufacturing and services, key anchors of our GDP growth,” said Minister Ncube.
ZOU Midlands Regional Director, Professor Remigios Mangizvo, said the institution has operationalised the Education 5.0 philosophy through practical community engagement and applied research.
“Education 5.0 comes in various forms. We have made deliberate efforts to remain relevant to the model’s requirements through community involvement and solution-driven research,” he said.
derick.khumalo