Online Reporter
Zimpapers Business Hub
THE Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services (ICT) Ministry has said strategic partnerships with institutions that use technology to promote entrepreneurial skills among students and graduates are key to achieving a digitally empowered society by 2030.
ICT Minister Tatenda Mavetera, after meeting a local organisation, the Institute of Social Development Practices (ISDP), on Wednesday, said such partnerships were crucial in pushing the Government’s digital innovation agenda.
“We are very much willing to work with people who want to partner with us. As we march towards a digitally empowered society by 2030, organisations like the ISDP are not just partners; they are critical enablers,” she said.
“Their focus on equipping development practitioners with digital technology, entrepreneurial, and innovative skills is the bedrock upon which sustainable progress is built,” she added.
The ISDP, founded in March this year, focuses on equipping social science, humanities, and arts students with skills needed to traverse Zimbabwe’s economic realities.
Zimbabwe’s Government digital agenda for 2030 is outlined in the SMART Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan, which aims to transform the country into a knowledge-based, digitally inclusive, and upper-middle-income economy by that year.
The agenda is a key component of the broader National Development Strategies (NDS1: 2021-2025 and NDS2: 2026-2030).
ISDP founder Ms Petronella Muungani said the ISDP is seeking a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ICT Ministry as part of efforts to merge development practice with technology-driven innovation.
“We are seeking this partnership because we understand that the world has gone digital, and we cannot talk about entrepreneurship development without involving the Ministry of ICT, which is at the forefront of fostering a digitally empowered society,” she said.
She also added, “Being recognised and guided by the Government in our initiatives remains a priority for us as we implement our vision and goals.”
Some of the key Smart Pillars that are sector-based include smart government, whose objective is digitising public service delivery, improving governance and resource management, and fostering citizen participation.
Also key is smart education aimed at enhancing learning through ICTs in schools and higher institutions, supporting e-learning, and building a skilled ICT workforce.
Others include smart health, which entails establishing e-health systems, improving health service access and quality, and integrating digital records and insurance claim systems.
