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Mr Felix Moyo

Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE National University of Science and Technology (Nust) which is grappling with lecture rooms shortage, has secured several disused industrial buildings in Bulawayo to be used by its STEM students.

The university has increased enrolment for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students.

Construction projects at the institution for higher learning, have been suspended for years now due to lack of funding hence the shortage of lecture rooms.

Many buildings in the city’s industrial sites are vacant following the closure of many companies as a result of economic challenges experienced over the years.

In an interview yesterday, Nust’s director of communication and marketing Mr Felix Moyo said due to limited accommodation at its main campus, the university was now renting industrial buildings left by defunct companies which it is using as lecture rooms.

He said this was necessitated by the need for the university to teach practical courses instead of being a theory based institution.

Mr Moyo said Nust being a STEM institution, needs more engineering rooms and equipment.

“We need labs, engineering rooms and equipment so that we don’t produce theorists engineers hence the decision to secure these industrial buildings for use by our students,” he said.

Mr Moyo said the university which was facing challenges in procuring equipment, was considering using some of the old industrial equipment left by companies.

He said at times the university has money to buy some of the equipment outside the country but the challenge is securing foreign currency.

Meanwhile, Mr Moyo said the university has tightened conditions for lecturers on development training as some of them have in the past left the university on completion of their studies.

“We were adversely affected by the lecturers who did not return after completing their studies funded by the university and this has forced the university to tighten the conditions,” he said. — @nqotshili