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Joseph Madzimure, Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has seen off more than 500 students who have benefited from the Presidential Scholarship Programme and will study at different universities in countries such as Cuba, Serbia, Russia, India, Pakistani, Malaysia and Indonesia.
The scheme targets academically gifted students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Parents, students, representatives from embassies of the seven countries and senior staff members in the Office of the President and Cabinet attended the send-off ceremony.
In his remarks at the ceremony in Harare yesterday, Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet responsible for Finance, Administration and Human Resources, Mr Zvinechimwe Churu, said human capital development was critical for achieving Vision 2030 of an empowered upper-middle income society.
“Today we witness the sending off of more than 500 students to various universities as enabled by the bilateral agreements and memorandum of understanding that we have for scholarships with nations and their institutions of higher learning,” said Mr Churu.
The National Development Strategy 1, he said, was underpinned by 14 thematic working areas and one of those is human capital development.
He congratulated the students who applied and secured places to study under the Presidential Scholarship Scheme saying it is a golden opportunity that only knocks once in one’s lifetime.
“You are going to these friendly nations as foot soldiers and ambassadors of this country and you should come back with a wealth of knowledge and skills.
“Try as much as possible to ensure that those who would otherwise be left behind are the biggest beneficiaries,” said Mr Churu.
President Mnangagwa has a passion for education from his days in detention and in the bush during the liberation struggle.
Mr Churu commended the countries where the scholarships beneficiaries are going, for offering opportunities for underprivileged communities to pursue their education.
“We really value the generosity of your respective governments and people, your efforts are complementing our own efforts in building Zimbabwe through increasing the critical skills expertise as enshrined in our National Development Strategy,” he said.
Cuba has been training Zimbabweans for a long time, especially medical doctors, dating back to the time of the liberation struggle.
Despite suffering under the most vicious sanctions, Cuba still budgets funds from taxes collected from its citizens to fund the education of Zimbabweans.
With respect to Serbia, Indonesia, Russia, India, Pakistani and Malaysia, they have strong bonds with Zimbabwe which also go back to the days of the liberation struggle.
Chief director in charge of Presidential and National Scholarships, Dr Wadzanai Kachere, said Government was targeting disadvantaged but gifted learners.
She implored the students to be disciplined and take their studies seriously.
Beneficiaries of the Presidential Scholarship Programme commended President Mnangagwa for availing opportunities to study abroad and acquire requisite skills that will benefit the country. Jubilant Shonhai from Masvingo, who will be studying Computer Science at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in India, said: “I will bring back the knowledge acquired to develop my country.
“I understand that we are many who applied for the scholarship, so I need to use the opportunity afforded to me.”
Another beneficiary, Tanyaradzwa Mangwanya, who will study in Malaysia, said: “I am feeling very happy to have been granted this scholarship because I am very passionate and it was my dream to be one of the beneficiaries.
“I am going to study Media and Communication because I am passionate about storytelling. I believe in the power of media in shaping public perceptions and influence society positively.”
Tinashe Chikaiwa, who will study Medicine in Cuba, said he will raise the Zimbabwean flag high.
Online Reporter