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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
RURAL communities should develop their infrastructure in order to attract investment in their areas, an academic has said.
Speaking during the Bulilima District Merit Awards ceremony at Madlambuzi High School on Friday, the Dean of the Faculty of Communication and Information Science at the National University of Science and Technology, Dr Lawton Hikwa, said the development of infrastructure should be a priority if communities were to attract investors.
“You have to pay particular attention towards improving the infrastructure in your areas.
“It becomes impossible to attract investors if roads are poor thereby making your communities inaccessible,” said Dr Hikwa.
He said pupils were walking long distances to schools because the area had no public transport because of poor roads.
Dr Hikwa said economic development required collective effort from policy makers and communities.
“Economic development demands concerted efforts of both policy makers and communities because policy makers cannot work in isolation. They require input from the community if they are to improve the livelihoods of the people,’’ said Dr Hikwa.
He said schools authorities should ensure that all schools offered Science subjects as they were crucial for pupils intending to enrol at universities such as Nust.
“I have been informed that the district has 80 schools and 18 of these are secondary schools. I hope all these schools are offering Science subjects because Mathematics which falls under this category is a requirement for pupils wishing to access tertiary education,” he said.
Dr Hikwa said education was the cornerstone of economic development, which was driven by human capital.
“The education sector is key to the development of human capital which is the major driver of economic growth. It is against this background that the Government has over the years allocated more resources to the education sector in its national budget,” he said.
The merit awards ceremony was held under the theme “Education Spearheading Economic Development”.
Madlambuzi Primary was awarded for having the best ECD centre in the year 2012 while Ntunungwe Primary had the best Grade Seven results among day schools with 89, 3 percent while Usher Institute came tops under the boarding schools category with 98, 2 percent.
Linford Nkomo from Usher Institute Primary and Brendon Dube from Solusi Adventist Primary received awards for the best Grade Seven results after attaining four units each.
Sikhathini Secondary was awarded for the best O-level results under the day schools category with 21,4 percent while Solusi Adventist was awarded the best boarding secondary with 68, 6 percent.
Attalian Mandevu from Usher High received an award for the best O-level results. She had 11 As and a B.
Thekwane High was awarded for the best A-level performance under the boarding school category with 96, 2 percent.
Gertrude Gande from Solusi Adventist School had the best A-level results under arts subjects while Vincent Bhala of Thekwane came tops in the A-level Science category. The two got 15 points each.
Bridget Ncube of Thekwane was named best commercial A-level pupil with 12 points.
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derick.khumalo