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Yoliswa Dube, Senior Features Reporter
THE Lupane State University (LSU) vision to start operating from its main campus in Lupane, the capital of Matabeleland North Province, is coming to life as the institution has made significant strides in relocating various departments to its new premises.

Established in 2005, the institution of higher learning is a classic example of the progress that can be made when vision and hard work collide.

The main campus, which is home to the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences with state-of-the-art learning facilities, also houses students in modern accommodation, a dining hall and administrative staff.

The university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Pardon Kuipa and Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Nomathemba Ndiweni have also started working from the Lupane campus.

The move is an indicator that something tangible is happening on the ground and progress is being made to grow the university.

Faculty of Agricultural Sciences Dean Dr Mcebisi Maphosa said relocating to the Lupane premises was necessary in ensuring the university improves the quality of education being offered to students and the university’s impact on the community.

“As a Faculty, there’s no way we could’ve made an impact from town (Bulawayo). Remember our niche as LSU is semi-arid agriculture, environmental management and wildlife management. When we’re here, that’s when our impact can be felt. We were very much constrained when we were in Bulawayo.

Our research didn’t incorporate the major stakeholders – who are the farmers,” said Dr Maphosa.

He said the move to the Lupane campus has enabled students to do practical lessons as opposed to the heavily theoretical work they had been doing in the past.

“We want graduates that are practical not theoretical as what we were doing in the past. The move has opened up many opportunities for us as a Faculty. If you go down to our plot, you’ll be able to see some of the technologies we’re showcasing. Now, even the community identifies with us because we have outreach programmes where we go out to irrigation schemes and interact with farmers,” said Dr Maphosa.

At a time when the country has been on a drive to promote science subjects, LSU offers surrounding schools an opportunity to make use of their laboratories.

“Most schools in the province don’t have science equipment so we’ve been assisting them with practical sessions. We’re hoping to extend it to weekends where pupils will get extra lessons for science subjects. In addition to teaching and research, we have to also assist the community,” said Dr Maphosa.

A schedule has since been drawn up to accommodate all schools that need to use the university’s facilities.

“We also do short trainings. We recently did one on indigenous chicken management because we want our technologies to be relevant to the people on the ground. We know that people in surrounding communities rear indigenous chickens so we assist them to be productive in that area. We’re in the process of mobilising resources so that we can do artificial insemination programmes. If you look at the cattle breeds here; they’re okay but they’re not the best,” said Dr Maphosa.

LSU has also acquired a conservancy in Hwange where wildlife breeding will be done.

“People hunt down wild animals for trophies but we want them to multiply. We realise people have been focusing on consumptive tourism but there’s no one really focusing on trying to multiply the numbers. As a teaching and research institute, that’s what we’re seized with. We offer wildlife management programs so we can’t be talking about killing animals all the time,” said Dr Maphosa.

Pioneering students at the university’s main campus say living conditions continue to improve as efforts are made to constantly advance the campus.

“When we initially relocated here, living conditions were not so good but as we came for the second semester, things have taken shape. We now have WiFi (wireless internet connectivity) at the hostels, the road from the hostels to the Faculty building has since been graded and we now have adequate lighting around the campus,” said Vengesayi Magwara, a second year student at the university.

Magwara said the move to the main campus has seen a marked improvement on the quality of education the university is offering.

“We’ve got all we need to conduct practical lessons as opposed to when we were learning in Bulawayo and had to contend with much theory work. It’s an advantage to students in the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences,” he said.

The LSU main campus offers a serene and calm environment, far from the hassle and bustle of the city.

Besides offering its students a rounded education, life on campus comes alive outside the lecture rooms.

“We have bashes during some weekends and the university also has various social clubs that are accessible to students. Things are taking shape and a lot is improving. The authorities have been really prompt in addressing all of our challenges,” said Magwara.

The Lupane Business Centre, just a stone-throw away from the main campus, offers students and members of staff an array of goods and services.

The hostels, which also house a games room and common room with a DStv premium subscription offer students a retreat from their studies and sometimes hectic academic life.

The university also offers students various sporting activities, library facilities and computer labs.

“When we were told we were going to be relocating, most of us were excited about moving to a new environment. It’s quiet out here; I write poetry as a hobby so the environment is good for me. We’re finding it as a good way of bonding as students. While in Bulawayo, we used to have four campuses so we’d move from one campus to the other. When you needed access to the library, you’d move from your campus to the library in town,” said Nicole Ngwenya, a second year Geography and Population Studies student.

The new campus, she said, is convenient to students as travelling to access university facilities has been eliminated.

“In the evenings, you know it’s always safe so you just go to the library, study and go back to the hostel when you’re done. The WiFi is unlimited both at the lecture rooms and at the hostels which makes studying easier. Moving us here was a good move because it’s easier for the university to identify missing links and quickly address them,” said Ngwenya.

In light of revelations that some female students are sexually harassed by lecturers, Ngwenya said the university’s ordinance and gender policy protects the interests of female students.

“The first thing I was told after enrolling at LSU was that you have to report any incident of abuse. But if you willingly get into a relationship with a lecturer, it’s none of the university’s business. This thing of girls sleeping with lecturers for marks, we try as LSU girls to make sure it doesn’t happen.

Besides the freedom that people have found, being here has brought us closer together; we’re a family,” said Ngwenya.

Although some of the university infrastructure has not come to completion, significant strides have been made to ensure students are as comfortable as possible.

LSU marketing and public relations director Mr Zwelithini Dhlamini said the university is making efforts to complete infrastructure and achieve full relocation.

“There’re about five more complexes that should be put up to complete the master plan of the university. Due to the current pace of funding by government, it might take us about 15 to 20 years to provide the full infrastructure. But we’re aware that the Ministry (of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development) is doing something to expedite the pace of infrastructural development through infrastructure bonds,” said Mr Dhlamini.

He said the continual relocation of students to the university’s main campus will be complemented by adequate teaching staff and space.

“We’ll do this so that as we get more students at the main campus and make sure there’s also provision for their learning,” said Mr Dhlamini.

Turning to student amenities, Mr Dhlamini said efforts were being made to improve student life.

“For indoor games, I’m aware that in the past two weeks, sporting equipment was bought and delivered to the campus. We’re working with the local authority on the development of the sports field. The relocation of the university to the main campus presents a lot of opportunities for the local people in terms of business opportunities. You could be aware that right now, we’ve outsourced catering services which in our view is a way of empowering the local community,” he said.

Mr Dhlamini said a number of service providers have come together to offer that service.

“We still feel there’s room for improvement but in the meantime, we’re happy that the locals have started benefitting from the university. The university has also employed locals to do various jobs around the university such as the cleaning, maintaining the grounds and ensuring security.

“Some of our students and members of staff are resident in the community and we feel the locals are beginning to benefit from the university.”

He said the water supply at the university has substantially improved with permanent water works having been installed at the campus.

“We’re also getting portable water and all these are streams of income for various stakeholders. The community and stakeholders should feel confident to send their children to learn at LSU. It’s a modern university with modern infrastructure, away from the noise of urban centres. We’re encouraging students to come and enroll with us,” said Mr Dhlamini.

LSU will on May 17 be hosting its inaugural Open Day at the main campus in Lupane where schools and various stakeholders are invited to participate.

The Open Day will run under the theme, “Education for sustainable communities.”

The LSU drama club will also be there to entertain visitors at the event.