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the speedy recovery of various sectors of the economy that include higher education.
Addressing parents and delegates soon after officially opening the Midlands State University’s new administration block and capping 1 882 graduands during the institution’s 10th graduation ceremony, President Mugabe said the Government was committed to supporting the development of institutions of higher learning despite the economic embargo on the country.
“Yes, the economy is improving but sanctions and disagreements in the inclusive Government are the major setbacks to the speedy recovery of our economy. Though we are riding in the same chariot there are disagreements in this inclusive Government, which hinders progress,” said President Mugabe who is also the Chancellor of all State universities, Head of State and Government and
Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.
“I would like to assure Midlands State University staff and students as well as the nation as a whole that the Government is determined and committed to speedy construction of this institution.”
President Mugabe said Government would continue to prioritise higher education by offering assistance in the construction of structures that meet modern day standards.
“We have always been and remain fully convinced that the quality of education provision depends not only on the calibre of staff, but even more critically, on the quality of the supporting physical infrastructure,” he said.
President Mugabe commended management at the MSU for committing themselves on improving the institution’s infrastructural development.
“For the past four years, we have been converging for such important events in the open but today we have witnessed a new development in the form of a hall and a new administration block,” he said.
“I had indicated to the Vice-Chancellor (Professor Ngwabi Bhebe) the last time we had such an occasion that I would turn this institution into a piggery farm if they fail to improve on infrastructure.”
President Mugabe also donated 30 computers for the institution on behalf of the First Lady, Amai Grace Mugabe. “She was willing to be here with me today but because of other commitments, she has travelled to Bulawayo and has sent me to hand over the computers to the institution on her behalf,” he said.
Meanwhile, during the graduation ceremony, among the 1 882 graduands, President Mugabe capped the institution’s first person to graduate with a Doctor of Philosophy, Mr Samson Rwazi Mhlahlo.
President Mugabe also capped 56 graduands from the Kingdom of Swaziland who graduated with Masters Degree in Business Administration as well as Masters Degree in Education. The Swazis, the first crop to enroll with MSU under the institution’s associate colleges, were accompanied by Swaziland’s Minister of Education, Mr Wilson Ntshangane and the permanent secretary in his ministry, Mr Pat Muir.
President Mugabe said the capping of Swaziland nationals was a milestone achievement in his leadership career.
“Apart from this (capping of the Swaziland nationals) being an experience in my life, it has also cemented a good socio-economic and cultural relationship that we already enjoy with the Kingdom of Swaziland which is headed by King Mswati,” said the President.
Speaking at the same occasion, MSU Vice-Chancellor Prof Ngwabi Bhebe said the 1 882 graduands were a “bumper harvest” that the economy needed in the face of the massive brain drain the Zimbabwean economy once experienced.
“Your Excellency and Chancellor, I am exceedingly pleased to present to you today, our colourful and first grade bumper harvest of 1 882 graduands, of which 46 percent are female while 54 percent are male,” said Prof Bhebe.
“This bumper harvest comes at a time when the Zimbabwe Council of Higher Education (ZIMCHE) seeks to benchmark four items namely the qualifications of our teaching staff, the grading of our teaching staff, the criteria for promotion and the structure of our degrees. We can happily report that the efforts by the ZIMCHE have fallen on fertile ground as they have remarkably coincided with our own initiatives to rebuild our institution following economic crisis that hit our sector and indeed, the massive brain drain of 2007 to 2008,” he said.
Prof Bhebe said MSU was striving to produce quality graduates, which would suit in the modern day technologies.
“Your Excellency and Chancellor, as we share in the pomp and excitement of the occasion today, I wish to dwell on the issue of quality assurance, a development in high education in
Zimbabwe, which we have embraced and welcomed wholeheartedly,” he said. “In an effort to mitigate this challenge, we have made significant strides to improve on the quality of our delivery and we have also set ourselves on a trajectory with time framed measures, to become a well resourced institution of higher learning in terms of human capital.”
Among the 1 882 graduands, 42 obtained first class degrees and 74 received prizes. A total of 1 589 obtained first degrees while 293 were post-graduates.
Among the senior Government officials who graced yesterday’s colourful graduation were the Ministers of Higher and Tertiary Education, Dr Stan Mudenge, Foreign Affairs Dr Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Defence Emmerson Mnangagwa, Environment and Natural Resources Francis Nhema, Midlands Governor Jason Machaya and several MPs.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu