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Nomvelo Siziba, Victoria Falls Reporter

ZIMBABWE’S economy needs innovative ideas and new business ventures and higher learning institutions must drive that process to be able to provide jobs and generate income, a Cabinet minister has said.

Job creation is at the centre of the Second Republic’s vision for an upper middle-income economy by 2030. Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, commended University of Zimbabwe and Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) for taking the lead in that regard. He said UZ now has formed nine business units while

HIT has six as well as some patents for their products.

“Our tertiary institutions are still resource constrained, which is why we are saying universities and polytechnics should register their own companies. We want these industrial hubs to be productive because this is the way we can be productive,” he said.

“We teach people knowledge and skills to bring something out. Industry does not fall from heaven but it is something that we have to create. Industry can be created if institutions of higher education create their own companies with the skills that they are taught.”

Prof Murwira said such businesses would give birth to new industry and support the existing firms along the value chain. “I am glad that some of our universities like UZ and HIT have started their own companies. These will give birth to new industry, create new jobs and support existing industry,” said Prof Murwira.

The chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education, Mr Daniel Molokele, said the country needs graduates that can create employment and revive industry as opposed to those who want to be employed. — @nomvelosiziba