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Harmony Agere
President Robert Mugabe yesterday capped 2 119 graduates at Zimbabwe Open University with national hero and educationist Dr Sikhanyiso “Duke” Ndlovu being posthumously conferred with an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree in Pedagogy of Distance Learning.
Professor Hope Cynthia Sadza and Mr Sarai Hungwe also received Honorary Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Gender and Academic Leadership, and Philosophy in Agriculture Leadership respectively.
Prof Sadza is the founder and Vice Chancellor of the Women’s University in Africa while Mr Hungwe is a founding member of various farmer interest groups.
Of the 2 119 graduates, five received doctorates, 226 received Masters degrees in various fields, 1 718 received undergraduate degrees while 167 received diplomas.
Among them was a visually-impaired teacher from Masvingo — Mr William Mapfumo — who scooped the Best Student Prize in English and Communication.
Vice Chancellor Professor Primrose Kurasha credited the university’s success to President Mugabe’s visionary leadership.
“In the beginning, Your Excellency and Chancellor, you came up with the idea of Open and Distance Learning. Now, the idea has been made flesh and it’s among us — right in this hall,” said Prof Kurasha in her keynote address.
“And the graduates have been harvested in great numbers and sent to you in great numbers . . . In the not-too-distant future we are going to establish 20 hectares of technology parks in each of our 10 regional centres across the country to promote science and technology.
“These research parks will certainly be centres of high quality inquiry. In an effort to bring education to our learners’ doorsteps, your university, Your Excellency and Chancellor, has opened 20 district learning centres from where learners are accessing education without having to travel to the provincial capitals.”
Prof Kurasha said Zou is partnering various learning institutions in Sadc and offering degrees to over 1 000 students regionwide.
Present at the event were several senior Government officials among them Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo and Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa.
Online Reporter