Graduates should contribute to economic development: Prof Murwira

by Innocent Mujeri

Zimbabwean universities are on track in producing graduates that contribute to economic development by acquiring skills that add value to society, the Harare Post can report.

This was said by Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Professor Amon Murwira, while contributing to a discussion about United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal Number 4 about access to quality education by all children, at the Sixth African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) in Victoria Falls recently.

Our vision for Zimbabwe is to become a developed upper middle-income economy by 2030. This is only possible if we develop an industry that produces quality goods and services; if we develop an education system that leads to an industry that produces quality goods and services. It is therefore, important to understand that science is the power that drives industry. Energy from science has to be captured using a particular design, just as fuel needs a strong tank for it to be useful, otherwise it just evaporates. Likewise, the education system that does not produce goods and services is not relevant at all”, said Prof Murwira.

Prof Murwira said Zimbabwe is in the process of revamping its education system by introducing an education system that equips the student with both theoretical and practical knowledge.

Minister Murwira said gone are the days when the country’s universities only produced graduates who were only fluent in English Language but couldn’t design or produce a simple product that could benefit the country.

Professor Murwira told delegates that President Mnangagwa mandated him with a task of improving the education system so that it matches international standards.

He further urged the youths to pursue education and desist from engaging in destructive things such as drugs and prostitution.

Zimbabwe is revamping its education system to produce graduates with the knowledge of industry as the country is moving towards the full utilization of industry and farms to ensure the country self-sustains