Online Reporter
Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
GOVERNMENT yesterday launched DuraIsiphala263, a locally-designed Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS), aimed at transforming data analysis and decision-making in education and manpower planning.
Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister Dr Frederick Shava described the system as a response to President Mnangagwa’s vision for an “innovation and knowledge-driven economy by 2030”, which will serve as a central repository for data from all higher and tertiary education institutions.
“DuraIsiphala263 is a home-designed and home-made system that answers the call by His Excellency to become an upper-middle-income economy through innovation and modernisation,” he said.
The launch was attended by Skills Audit and Development Minister Professor Paul Mavima, Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Deputy Minister Dingumuzi Phuti and Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development permanent secretary Professor Fanuel Tagwira, among other senior Government officials.
The system collects programme data, student records, graduate information and employee statistics, while it provides “summary statistics” at this stage.
Minister Shava said this will allow policymakers to forecast manpower needs and align education programmes with national economic demands.
“Predicting the future of higher education requires modern analytics tools, which DuraIsiphala263 provides,” he said.
“We can now analyse, predict, and plan with increased confidence the manpower landscape in Zimbabwe.”
Minister Shava also revealed plans to integrate the system with other Government databases, such as the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education information system, ZIMSEC results, and ZIMSTATS, to enhance national skills planning.
He challenged stakeholders to fully embrace the system for evidence-based planning.
“Systems of this kind evolve. It is through meaningful use, enhancements, and timely data provision that we will maximise its utility.
“Today (yesterday) is the beginning of a journey—a journey of a thousand miles starting with a first step. We must walk it together,” he said.
Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) CEO Professor Kuzvinetsa Dzvimbo said DuraIsiphala263 is a transformative tool bringing real-time data, analytics, and unified reporting to strengthen planning and oversight in Zimbabwe’s higher education sector.
“DuraIsiphala263 is a ground breaking development in our ongoing drive to modernise and integrate data-based planning and decision-making within our national education sector,” he said.
“The system provides real-time dashboards, comprehensive analytics, and harmonised reporting tools to support manpower planning and institutional oversight across all higher and tertiary education institutions in Zimbabwe.”
Prof Dzvimbo added that the development speaks to the country’s growing capacity for innovation and reflects the effectiveness of the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 model.
“Unlike other countries in the SADC region that rely on proprietary and externally developed systems, Zimbabwe has distinguished itself by successfully designing and developing an end-to-end solution through local expertise from our institutions,” said Prof Dzvimbo.
The system was piloted and refined through collaborative training with 89 percent of the country’s higher and tertiary education institutions.
The launch marks a significant milestone in Zimbabwe’s push towards a data-driven education sector and aligns with the Government’s broader economic modernisation agenda.
