Chiefs hail Govt for commitment to higher education

Kudzai Chikiwa, Chronicle Reporter
CHIEFS in Matabeleland have commended Government for its commitment to expand higher education in the region through the establishment of the United College of Education (UCE) satellite teacher training school at Ntabazinduna Training Centre.

The satellite teachers’ college, which is in Matabeleland North, is set to start operating next year.

This came after traditional leaders lamented the absence of a teacher training college in Matabeleland North during a meeting with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education in June this year.

In an interview, the Secretary for Matabeleland North Chiefs, Mr Nothiwani Dlodlo, said traditional chiefs were impressed by the “quick response by the Government to address a perennial gap in higher education in the region”

“Chiefs in the region are really impressed by this new dispensation’s efforts. It took decades, almost 38 years for us to have a teachers training college in the region but in four months the Government has come up with a tangible solution. Through devolution, higher education expansion has become more of a national than regional issue,’’ he said.

Mr Dlodlo said this satellite school will bridge a gap that has been longstanding in the educational sector of the region.

“There used to be a deficiency of Ndebele speaking teachers leading to high failure rate in the region. The establishment of this teachers training college will see teachers being trained in our languages and cultures which makes it easy for them to teach in schools. This will also reduce the teacher shortages in the region,’’ he said.

Mr Dlodlo said in future, traditional leaders will negotiate for a secondary school teacher training college to create balance.

“For now we appreciate the positive response and we will formally apply for a secondary school teacher training college as well. Since Ntabazinduna training centre is a big complex, I think it’s possible to have both secondary and primary teachers colleges at the training centre,’’ he said.

Mr Dlodlo said all traditional leaders are expected to attend the UCE graduation ceremony where the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education will officially announce the establishment of the satellite school.

Traditional leaders are also excited that the Government allowed them to be trained in law, said Mr Dlodlo.

“Chiefs are traditional courts judges and they should be conversant with the law that regulates the land. It is embarrassing to have a chief dragged to the magistrate court being accused of misjudging people.

“Allowing chiefs to attend law school will see many chiefs becoming learned judges at their courts,’’ said Mr Dlodlo.

He said in the event of the Government establishing a law school in the region, it can be located in Matabeleland South.

“We once presented this issue of the need for a law school in our region. We have a school of Medicine at the National University of Sciences And Technology (Nust) but we do not have our own law school.

“The Minister informally agreed to our request. When he formally announces this, we would prefer the school to be in Matabeleland South,” said Mr Dlodlo. — @tamary98

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