Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa yesterday capped 1 708 graduands at Lupane State University’s 15th graduation ceremony, giving academic honours to a cohort of students that the institution hailed as its first products of the Second Republic’s Heritage-based Education 5.0 Framework.
Female graduands constituted 59 percent of the graduands where Colleen Maseko (BSc Honours, Environmental Science), and Tinei Mugande (BComm Honours, Entrepreneurship) walked away from the ceremony US$1 000 richer after they won the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Award for best-graduating male and female student respectively.
In addition, the same award was also given to a quartet of students whose projects were deemed to have had the most significant community impact.
Among the four was Umkhathi Theatre Works founder Mr Matesu Dube, whose final year project titled “The Journey of Umkhathi Theatre Works” made him the only recipient of the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Award from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences this year.
The three other winners were Wenzile Nyathi from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences for her final year project titled “The effect of organic nitrogen supplementation to basal substrate on oyster mushroom productivity”, Dylan Baloyi from the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences for the final year project titled “Adoption of an Artificial Intelligence career projector to Zimbabwe’s Tertiary Education System” and Sihlonitshiwe Hlabangana from the Faculty of commerce for the final year project titled “The application of digitalisation of Small Enterprises in the Tourism and Hospitality Industry.”
The quartet received US$500 for their impactful academic excellence.
LSU Vice Chancellor Professor Pardon Kuipa expressed satisfaction at the fact that, as the university celebrated 20 years of existence, 59 percent of graduates this year were female, as President Mnangagwa capped a total 1008 women during yesterday’s ceremony.
Prof Kuipa highlighted that this year’s ceremony, which was held under the theme, Celebrating two decades of empowering communities, shaping minds, and creating positive futures for all,” would give birth to a new breed of academics, as Second Republic’s Heritage-based Education 5.0 Framework encouraged self-sufficiency and fostered an entrepreneurial spirit.
“Today’s graduands are the first LSU products of the Second Republic’s Heritage-based Education 5.0 Framework that you launched in 2020. The graduands before you today are different from the previous cohorts in that they are graduating with entrepreneurial behaviours and attitudes, an entrepreneurial spirit and mindset, an entrepreneurial culture and entrepreneurial competencies. The graduands have been exposed to real-life experiences, and have acquired the necessary skills, knowledge and competencies that are vital for their success in the world of work and for them to start their own businesses and create employment for their peers.
“Indeed, Education 5.0 has widened youth participation in entrepreneurship, innovation and social change, leading to social inclusiveness and social cohesion which are core values for a prosperous and informed society. The University community and indeed Zimbabwe at large, congratulate the graduands on the realization of the objectives that they set themselves individually and severally,” he said.
Prof Kuipa also congratulated President Mnangagwa for his assumption of the SADC chairpersonship, highlighting that the role would allow the country to spread the ethos of Education 5.0 to other countries in the region.
“This esteemed position presents a pivotal opportunity for Zimbabwe to spread its Heritage based Education 5.0 framework within the region especially as you are the Architect of the Education 5.0 philosophy which resonates well with the African Union’s 2024 Year of Education call for the urgent need to transform education systems across the continent.
“For the SADC region, education is an unquestionable engine of progress since it empowers individuals, strengthens communities, builds nations, breaks the chains of poverty and lays the foundation for a prosperous and equitable SADC community,” he said.
Prof Kuipa thanked the President for availing financial resources to the university, allowing the institution to embark on several construction projects such as the Bingwa Wildlife Eco-tourism Innovation and Industrial Park.
LSU Vice Chancellor Professor Pardon Kuipa
The university received full funding for the project which aims to commercialise wildlife conservation at the Bingwa Conservancy by setting up chalets, ecotourism camping grounds, and a conference facility for accommodating tourists and researchers from local and international institutions.
“The project will generate revenue, knowledge and human capital. In addition, the project will enhance conservation as a viable land use option, protect biodiversity, preserve ecosystems and slow down damage to the environment. In order to plug the wide gap in conferencing and lodging facilities in Lupane the University has also secured financial support from Government, through Zimdef, to establish a Waterfront Resort and Conference Centre on the shores of the Bubi-Lupane dam.
“The Waterfront Resort and Conference Centre will serve as a platform for skills development in tourism and hospitality and also provide accommodation, conferencing and recreational facilities and recreational activities that are in short supply in Lupane,” he said.
Prof Kuipa also revealed that Government had also disbursed ZiG 7,6 million and US$150 000 for the completion of the foundation works for the second teaching and learning complex at the university.
He revealed that the university has also recently bought two new buses, a 14-seater and a 75-seater.
Prof Kuipa said the university continues to transform livelihoods through its community-based innovation initiatives, including the Chibondo Integrated Water, Environmental Protection and Gardening Project, which the institution implemented alongside Zubo Trust in Binga. The project won an award at the recently held Presidential Innovation Fair.
Prof Kuipa encouraged graduating students to put their interests first as they go out into the world, as that would enable them to help those around them.
“Graduands, my advice to you, is that you should value yourself first in life. This means that when you are in an airplane emergency situation and the oxygen mask drops, you put yours on first and then help others after that. Putting on your oxygen mask first is the only way you’re going to help anyone else in this world. Invest resources in your personal growth. The smartest and most successful people I know are constantly evolving and always learning.
“Act with integrity. Integrity is misunderstood. We immediately think it’s just about upstanding morality. But that’s only a portion of it. It also means being whole and undivided. It’s about doing what you say you are going to do. Make an appointment at 5:00 and you show up at 5:00. That’s an act of integrity. Doing everything to the best of your ability is integrity. Sleep well and eat well. Say you’re sorry when you mess up. Minimise your jealousy. Maximise your kindness. Open your minds. Take your chances and opportunities. If you don’t, you can’t complain when somebody else does,” he said.
Among the graduands were Zimpapers Bulawayo branch assistant accounting officer, Mr Lasborn Dube who graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Honours Degree in Accounting and Finance, where he got the Vice Chancellor’s Award and the University Book Prize.
