Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Online Reporter
SKILLS Audit and Development Minister Professor Paul Mavima is in Lupane, Matabeleland North for his ministry’s consultation meeting on the skills the country needs to attain an upper middle-income economy.
Stakeholders from Matabeleland North have converged at Lupane State University to deliberate on the issue of the skills gap.
LSU Vice Chancellor, Professor Pardon Kuipa provided an update on the construction of the university linking to critical skills development.
He said the El Nino induced drought is impacting the development of the university.
He says LSU has some of the best biomedical laboratories in the country due to partnerships with universities in the United States of America.
Prof Kuipa said for the country to achieve an upper middle-income economy, the country’s universities should address to do with donor dependency.
He said the university is experiencing serious skills flight not just in academia but also in supporting staff.
Prof Kuipa said accountants are leaving in droves and countries such as Namibia, Botswana, South Africa and European countries and the United Kingdom are the destinations for skills personnel leaving the institution.
He said the university is also leveraging on human capital development.
Prof Kuipa revealed that LSU has assisted in providing literacy training to members of the San community who were recruited to Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services without any education.
He said the university has also reduced the zero pass rate in the education sector following a partnership with educational institutions
Online Reporter