Chronicle Editor
Herald Reporter
THE National Assembly has approved the establishment of Gwanda State University, enabling Zimbabwe to have a State university in each province in line with Government policy. The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development envisages that the establishment of the university will reduce the migration of high school graduates and youths from Matabeleland South to South Africa and Botswana.
Deputy Minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa steered the Bill in the Lower House last week with legislators unanimously endorsing it. The niche for the university will be animal and veterinary sciences, irrigation engineering and management, mining and environmental engineering and ecosystem restoration.
“The Animal and Veterinary Sciences and Mining Engineering are proposed to be the initial programmes of the university,” said Dr Gandawa. “However, other programmes would be subsequently included since the aim is to create a comprehensive State university without compromising the niche areas.
“Irrigation engineering is important for attaining food security and self-sufficiency in the region.
“Thus through irrigation, Matabeleland South can be transformed to a thriving, productive region and self-sufficient in food. “Mining engineering is also a major activity in the province, hence the need to train experts in this field in areas of geometrics, surveying, metallurgy, environment engineering among other relevant disciplines.
Dr Gandawa said it was Government policy to establish a university in every province as one of the ways to broaden access to tertiary education in Zimbabwe.
“Matabeleland South agricultural and mineral economic activities need to be fully exploited. Human capital development and technology are key success factors for the socio-economic development of the province. Therefore, a State university in the province would facilitate and enhance such development.”
Zimbabwe took seriously the obligation to empower youths with education and skills for the formal market and self-employment. Therefore, this new institution would contribute in this respect, not only to the province, but to the nation as a whole.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology chaired by Dr Peter Mataruse (MDC-T), hailed the initiative saying it was in line with Government policy of establishing a university in each of the country’s 10 provinces.
The Bill will now be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.
Online Reporter