The ManicaPost
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke Senior Reporter
MANICALAND University of Applied Science (MSUAS) will be embarking on the construction of multi-storey buildings as the institution gears itself to meet the 6th cycle of the 100-day target based programme.
The programme is part of Government’s efforts to expedite infrastructure development project implementation for the attainment of an upper middle income economy by 2030.
MSUAS is currently constructing a clinic which is almost 90 percent complete, while a lecture room block is now 75 percent done.
Speaking during a tour of the campus by Minister of State for Presidential Affairs and Monitoring Implementation of Government Programmes, Dr Jorum Gumbo on Wednesday, acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Albert Chawanda said they had requested $10 million from Treasury to commence the projects.
“We are putting final touches on the clinic and we expect to complete the lecture room block by October. After that, our next project for the sixth 100-day cycle is students’ accommodation and our client service centre,” he said.
He said they intend to build a hostel with a carrying capacity of 200 students, while the client service centre will be the signature building comprising of 36 offices and a sitting hall located near the entrance of the campus, where all clients and stakeholders will be received.
Prof Chawanda said they are expecting to use about $20 million to complete the two projects.
Professor Chawanda said although the clinic and the first lecture room block are single storey, all buildings to be constructed at the campus will be multi-storey.
“In our plan, we have considered building going up instead of having these single storey buildings. However, for the two new buildings we are putting up, they were urgent projects and the funds available at that time did not permit us to take the double-storey buildings route. But from now onwards, all projects will be multi-storey buildings,” he said.
He said the prefabricated buildings currently being used as lecture rooms will be maintained and used alongside the new buildings.
MSUAS has adopted a multi-campus set up, with the main campus located at Fern Hill.
Prof Chawanda said the Headlands campus had already started operating in terms of farming activities.
The other campuses will be in Chipinge and Nyanga to take advantage of the natural endowments in these locations.
“During the 2019/2020 season, we had 30 hectares under tobacco and 10 hectares under maize. These were under Command Agriculture.
“In Chipinge we were shown the land where our campus will be set up and we are just waiting for the offer letter to be issued out,” he said.
Minister Gumbo commended the university for implementing the infrastructure development projects despite challenges being experienced due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said there is need to re-examine the role of higher education in sustainable economic and social development.
“A re-think and redesign of the mission of higher education from the current curricula of theoretical sophistication to one that holistically aligns the educational system with the local industry and overall development needs is long overdue.
“I am firmly convinced that higher education in our country should be situated at the centre of development agenda,” he said.
