Tertiary institutions urged to be problem solvers

Johnsias Mutonhori, Midlands Correspondent

HIGHER and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira has urged tertiary institutions to go beyond classroom academics and pragmatise the knowledge so that it responds to communities’ needs.

In a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Raymond Machingura during the Mkoba Teachers’ College (MTC) 43rd graduation ceremony on Friday, Prof Murwira said tertiary education institutions must take advantage of the pool of knowledge they produce to spearhead industrialisation and employment creation.

“Tertiary education institutions are encouraged to establish industries not limited only to the education value chain. These industries can be textile, clothing factories, wood and technology among others. They can also do a juice-making factory like what the principal of Mutare Teachers College is establishing,” he said.

Minister Murwira said the Government was introducing a new programme called the Graduate Employment Creation and Development which anchors on Education 5.0.  He said the programme sought to harmonise knowledge, innovation and industrialisation for economic development towards the attainment of an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.

The graduation saw a total of 891 graduates, 319 were from the Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme, 442 from the general courses and 130 from the Secondary Science Education programme.

The principal of Mkoba Teachers College Mr Martin Mukwazhe said they have since embraced Education 5.0 in establishing various projects that benefit the community.

“We have fully embraced the heritage-based Education 5.0 philosophy which we see as a catalyst for the attainment of Vision 2030. Our agriculture sector is doing well in producing goods and services locally.

In the science department, the chemistry and biology sections submitted a project proposal for the production of bio drugs and pesticides which they will be sending for Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) testing,” he said.