President caps 2 358 at MSU

PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday capped 2 358 graduates at Midlands State University in Gweru during the institution’s 14th graduation ceremony.

Of the graduates, 2 060 were under-graduates, 295 were conferred with Masters Degrees and three gained PhDs.

They were drawn from the Faculties of Arts, Law, Education, Commerce, Natural Resources Management and Agriculture, Science and Technology and Social Sciences.

Addressing graduates and parents, MSU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ngwabi Bhebe said the Gweru- based institution had produced 27 321 graduates in its 15 years of existence.

“In the 15 years of existence as Midlands State University we have produced 27 321 some of whom are occupying strategic positions in the various sectors of our economy as well as the economies of the rest of our region.

“Today we are delighted to present to you Your Excellency a total of 2 358 graduates, a figure which is made up of 2 060 under-graduates, 58 international graduates, 295 gaining Masters Degrees and three gaining PHDs,” he said.

Prof Bhebe said the university has made a significant impact on the housing sector over the past 15 years in direct response to the continued growth of the institution.

“Various stakeholders have come in at an almost alarming rate to take advantage of the ever growing demand for student accommodation in the neighbourhood.

“According to the City of Gweru figures, these investors have injected an estimated $100 million over the past 15 years in which more than 2 000 new houses have been constructed, extended or refurbished,” he said.

Prof Bhebe said MSU has taken heed of the Government initiative to augment quality of education and university graduates by encouraging lecturers in State universities to attain doctorates.

“I wish to underscore the fact that as we produce our graduates we never lose sight of the need to entrust our students in the hands of well trained and skilled teaching staff.

“In this regard we allocate five percent of our annual budget for research and post-graduate supervisors. This strategy has seen us nearly doubling the cohort of PhD holders among our teaching staff in two years, from 68 in 2013 to 107 currently,” he said.

Among those graduating were Herald journalists Lloyd Gumbo who attained a Masters Degree in Development Studies, his colleagues Takunda Maodza, John Manzongo and Innocent Ruwende as well as ZBC reporters Mqhele Tshuma, Kudzai Gumbo and Sijabuliso Ndlovu who all attained Bachelor of Science Honours degrees in Media and Society Studies.