The Sunday News
Sharon Chimenya, Masvingo Correspondent
GREAT Zimbabwe University (GZU) is seeking to be allocated land around the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam in Chivi to develop tourism facilities that will help the institution in its quest to offer education that is in line with the 5.0 curriculum.
The Education 5.0 tailored programmes are meant to produce entrepreneurs that can help improve production and create employment. That has reconfigured the Higher and Tertiary System from the tripartite education system of teaching, research and community service (Education 3.0) which produces only literate job seeking graduates to Education 5.0 that includes Innovation and Industrialisation.
GZ Vice-Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo said they were in a process of acquiring boats and will continue to engage with relevant authorities so that they are able to start tourism activities around the dams.
“As Great Zimbabwe University we are fully behind the growth of tourism in Zimbabwe. To start with we have reengineered our curriculum to make it more responsive to the needs of the sector and in doing so we are driven by the education 5.0 philosophy.
The rich cultural heritage of our province is our biggest resource. We are not only training people to seek employment in hotels and safaris but rather to be sound and innovative practitioners and entrepreneurs who will drive tourism in the country,” he said.
Prof Zvobgo said they have applied for land at Tugwi-Mukosi for development of tourism activities. The development of the Tugwi-Mukosi Dam recreational park is set to unlock maximum value of the dam, promoting the development of domestic tourism and contributing to the $5 billion tourism economy by the year 2025.
Meanwhile, in a speech by the Minister of State Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Ezra Chadzamira that was read on his behalf by the director in his office Mr Kudakwashe Machako at the World Tourism Day Symposium held at the University last week, he said 16 fishing permits have already been issued at the Tugwi- Mukosi Dam as the province awaits the finalisation of the master plan.
