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Kudzai Chikiwa, Chronicle Reporter
THE Government has established a satellite teachers’ college that is set to start operating in Matabeleland North early next year.

The United College of Education (UCE) satellite school will be established at Ntabazinduna Training Centre.

In July this year, the Government promised to turn Ntabazinduna training centre into a teachers’ college after traditional leaders lamented the absence of a teacher training college in Matabeleland North.

Traditional leaders said Ntabazinduna Training Centre was underutilised and called on Government to turn it into a teachers training college.

The training centre was used to train local youths on vocational skills such as welding and carpentry before Government converted it into a police training depot.

In an interview, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Amon Murwira commended traditional leaders for their suggestion and said the Government was ready to establish a teachers’ college in the province.

“Turning Ntabazinduna into a teachers’ college is a very brilliant idea and l commend traditional leaders for that. Our mission is to make Zimbabwe knowledgeable without discriminating any region or area. We are happy that leaders identified a gap and the Government is ready to fill it.’’

“Our mission is to expand higher and tertiary education and make it accessible to everyone in the country. The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education is knowledge driven to fulfil the 2030 vision that will witness the country becoming a middle-income economy by 2030.’’

“We have been always dedicated to developing the higher education sector.

“At Joshua Nkomo Polytechnic we integrated secondary school science teacher training to alleviate the shortage of science teachers in the country.

“So far about 120 students have been enrolled and it is a commendable step towards improving higher learning,’’ said Prof Murwira.

He said after refurbishment of the training centre, the satellite college for Matabeleland North is expected to start training in January.

“We do not want a situation where students are rushed to an institution and end up learning in ‘holes’. The Government cannot wake up and say Ntabazinduna has become a teachers college.

“We need to put proper structures which will see students having a conducive learning environment. The latest time the satellite can commence operation is May,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Prof Murwira said his Ministry supports the idea of traditional leaders having a law training programme.

In July during a meeting between the then Permanent Secretary of Higher and Tertiary Education Dr Desire Sibanda and Matabeleland traditional leaders, chiefs challenged the Government to design a programme specifically meant to educate them on the law and the constitution since they also preside over cases at their traditional courts.

Prof Murwira said: “That is a brilliant idea. Institutions like Midlands State University and the University of Zimbabwe can give traditional leaders slots.’’ — @tamary98