School holds first graduation, celebrates 45 skilled graduates

Minister Owen Ncube (left) officiates at the Midlands School of Business and Engineering first-ever graduation ceremony

THE Midlands School of Business and Engineering in Gweru has held its first-ever graduation ceremony, with 45 students receiving certificates in courses ranging from civil engineering to accounting — marking a milestone that signals the institution’s growing role in Zimbabwe’s drive for skills-based industrialisation.

Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Owen Ncube, who officiated at the ceremony, said the graduation reflected the Second Republic’s Education 5.0 philosophy, which integrates teaching, research, community service, innovation, and industrialisation.

“I commend the school’s production-based learning model, which supports the Education 5.0 philosophy through an active, hands-on teaching approach where students learn by creating tangible products or services that address community needs and challenges,” he said.

Minister Ncube emphasised that the synergy between education and industry has become the cornerstone of the Government’s strategy to build a resource-based, skills and knowledge-driven economy.

“These graduates are not just job-seekers but potential job creators who will add value to our communities and the provincial economy,” he said.

He added that the graduation theme, “Empowering Economic Growth through Production and Innovation,” aligns with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) pillar on human capital development.

The minister noted that the Government had deliberately opened the economy to private-sector innovation across mining, agriculture, manufacturing, construction, health, and education.

He also urged young people to take full advantage of training opportunities offered by accredited institutions under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, while warning against the dangers of drug and substance abuse, which continue to derail many youths.

“I therefore urge young people to desist from taking zvimbwa, mutoriro, mbanje and ganja cakes, skin lightening and sex-enhancing drugs, among others, as these negatively affect their mental and physical health, careers, and contribution towards community development,” he said.

Minister Ncube said the devolution and decentralisation agenda fully supports the utilisation of local resources and comparative advantages to grow provincial and district gross domestic product.

“I therefore welcome the 45 graduates to the Midlands provincial economic development matrix of job creators and providers of goods and services that improve the livelihoods of our communities,” he said.

College principal Mr Linos Tarwireyi revealed that the school is set to rebrand as the Midlands Institute of Engineering and Business Sciences, as it transitions into a production-driven education model aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Our vision is to grow into a polytechnic university by 2030, with a minimum student capacity of 2 500. We are committed to adopting cutting-edge technologies and producing graduates who can innovate and compete globally,” he said.
Currently, the institution has 127 students, with plans to significantly expand enrolment by the end of the decade.