The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
MUTARE Polytechnic has been challenged to develop an industrial park and a formalised innovation hub following its successful adaptation of Education 5.0 which emphasises skills development and productivity.
Officiating at the institution’s 31st graduation ceremony last week on Friday, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister, Professor Amon Murwira applauded Mutare Polytechnic for embracing the heritage based education and successfully finishing innovation tasks assigned to it by Government.
The institution was assigned to manufacture laboratory work benches for Midlands State University’s National Pathology Research and Diagnostic Centre and it delivered with flying colours.
“The college proved that the curriculum which emphasises skills development and productivity is a walk in the park for it and other tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe at large.
“The college did a fantastic job and we are looking forward to the development of the Mutare Polytechnic industrial park and a formalised innovation hub,” said Prof Murwira.
He said the park will help graduates from the college to come up with start-up companies.
“Graduates will be helped with forming start-up companies. We expect the products of this institution and other colleges in the country to be diplomas, certificates and start-up companies.
“This is how we will develop our motherland.
“Government wants you to go out there and produce goods and services that our people need, industrialise Zimbabwe and help build the economy. Our heritage shall be the source of our wealth and prosperity.
“My challenge to all graduates is that we want you to be the pioneers of this programme starting now.
“The ministry will budget for it and fund it,” he said.Prof Murwira further highlighted that through Vision 2030, the higher and tertiary education sector’s aim is to produce knowledge and innovations that will cause the industrialisation and modernisation of the country.
“This is why we transformed our education from Education 3.0 which specialised on teaching research and community service to heritage based Education 5.0 which specialises on adding innovation and industrialisation,” said Prof Murwira.
Education 3.0 was a colonial education design that produced job seekers.
On the other hand, Education 5.0 seeks to economically emancipate the public through giving them knowledge, skills and a framework for modernisation and industrialisation.
“Through heritage based Education 5.0, our education provides knowledge on how to produce the goods and services that our people need.
“Our heritage shall be the source of our wealth and prosperity,” he said. A total of 2430 students from across four graduating years graduated at the semi-virtual blended ceremony.
Only 155 students who were receiving awards and prizes were capped physically by Prof Murwira, while the rest graduated virtually.
The college’s principal, Ms Poniso Watema said the graduates were from four different graduating years as the institution last held a graduation ceremony in 2018 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Our 31st graduation ceremony is a blended one. We are capping graduation classes from 2019 through 2022 and it is a first of its nature for us,” she said.
Ms Watema urged the graduates to make Vision 2030 a reality by utilising the skills they acquired during their time at the institution.
“Go and raise the Mutare Polytechnic flag high by being adhering pacesetters,” she said.
The graduates were conferred with National Certificates, National Diplomas and Higher National Diplomas.
