The Sunday News
Uzile Mkwananzi, Sunday Reporter
VICE-President, Cde Kembo Mohadi has applauded universities that are living up to the Second Republic’s standards, providing goods and services that improve the quality of people’s livelihoods through building a technological driven economy.
Under Education 5.0, institutions of higher and tertiary institutions are expected to champion teaching, research, community services, innovation and industrialisation. Speaking at the second edition of the Bulawayo Business Expo, Vice-President Mohadi said he was impressed with the work universities have put in to achieving the technological-driven economy.
“I am happy with the mushrooming of our mini industries, agro-industrial parks and innovation hubs that are now the core of our universities striving towards a technology driven economy. Surely, this is the path to the building of a great nation despite the diversity of political opinions. We all agree that the signs of visible progress are heralding the development we all aspire. In the next two to three years I can assure you we will see benefits of our heritage-based education 5.0.
“The young generation will thank us from our graves for the bold and decisive initiatives we have taken,” said the Vice-President.
VP Mohadi said in the Second Republic universities are expected to be offering solutions to problems that the societies and communities have and move from fantasised theory aspects.
“The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic was a steep learning curve, teaching us the lifelong lesson of shared responsibility. We had to work together in order to defeat the pandemic, since then, I have observed the positive developments where our universities are moving away from the ivory tower mentality in which theory is fantasised and abstract solutions for the community’s challenges are offered.
“The modern university of the Second Republic is obliged to provide goods and services that improve the quality of people’s lives and livelihoods,” he said.
Various university representatives who took part in the expo, spoke about efforts that the universities are putting in order to respond to the Government of Zimbabwe’s heritage-based education 5.0 philosophy which requires them to meet the needs and requirements of industry, commerce and society.
University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo said they have managed to build an innovation hub and industrial park which is anchored on programmes like the industry innovator and start-up programmes where industrialists are also innovators and have to work with the universities to sharpen and polish their innovations so that they actualise their businesses.
He said this has resulted in 23 start-up companies which are now in the stage of commercialising.
Prof Mapfumo said one of their most successful start-ups was the National Transtech Solutions which is now making vehicle number plates for the nation.
