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Blessings Chidakwa, Harare Bureau

GOVERNMENT has said that in order for a teacher to graduate, it will now be mandatory that he or she knows at least four of the 16 Zimbabwe’s official languages, a Cabinet Minister has said.

This was revealed by Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira during a colourful graduation ceremony at Belvedere Technical Teachers’ College (BTTC) recently.

The graduation was running under the theme: “Revitalising Human Capital Development through Heritage- based science and Technology for Industrialisation.” Minister Murwira said Zimbabwe cannot have an education system that does not focus its practical material on its heritage, thus Government has adopted the heritage philosophy to anchor education.

“A teacher to graduate should now have at least four of the 16 official languages,” he said.

“Today we are proud to witness the graduation of a total 894 teachers among them 391 males and 503 females.”

Minister Murwira said as Government modernises and industrialises the country in line with the national vision it was important to know that it is knowledge and skill in technology that is shaking foundations of 21st century economy.

He said for many years in Zimbabwe there has been a disjunction between college outputs and industry.

“In the Second Republic our main task is to design and implement an education system that we use to fulfil two major classes of aspirations that is the national or system-centred aspirations and the student-centred aspirations,” he said.

College Principal, Ms Ruramai Mbofana, said through the implementation of entrepreneurship skills and competencies obtained from BTTC the country’s economy will be enhanced.

The colleges current enrolment stands at 2 950 (1 118 males and 1 832 females) as compared to 2 296 (917 males and 1 379 females in 2018 recording a 28 percent.

“We continue to embark on programmes and activities to equip both the students and staff to become more innovative and contribute effectively towards an industrialised and modernised Zimbabwe by 2030,” she said.

“The teaching and learning methodologies adopted have now embraced new technologies, blended learning, problem solving skills through research and use of resources that are cost effective to solve todays problems in and around the community.”

Since the first graduation in 1985, a total of 15 946 (7 751 males and 8 195 females) skilled persons have graduated from the college.