President caps 4 708 at MSU

2511-1-1-MSU GRADUTIONMidlands Bureau Chief

PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday capped a record 4 708 graduands at Midlands State University (MSU) in Gweru. The graduands were made up of 2 349 females and 2 359 males. A total of 3 988 received undergraduate degrees while 713, who included the former Minister of Information and Publicity Cde Webster Shamhu, were awarded Masters’ degrees.Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs Cde Jason Machaya received a BSC Honours degree in Local Governance Studies. The 16th congregation of the MSU was held at a time when President Mugabe has appointed an acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Victor Muzvidziwa.

Prof Muzvidziwa takes over from Prof Emeritus Ngwabi Bhebhe, the founding Vice Chancellor whose contract was not renewed. In his address, Prof Muzvidziwa said: “Your Excellency, It gives me immense pleasure to report that seven academic members of staff will be attaining PhDs, including our first female PhD graduand Dorothy Goredema.

“I’m pleased to inform you that we have remained fully awake to the dire need to entrust our students in the hands of highly qualified human capital.

“For instance we now have 131 PhD holders amongst our academic staff and 25 Professors, who offer the much needed academic leadership.

“In addition, 240 of our academic staff members are already registered for PhDs in their respective fields of study”.

He said the institution of higher learning has been moving in sync with provisions of Zim-Asset cluster number three on infrastructure and utilities through construction projects and renovation of teaching and learning facilities across campuses.

“Among the major projects is the extension of our massive multi-purpose hall with a capacity of over 15 000 people, which the congregation is utilising today,” Prof Muzvidziwa said.

In Zvishavane, he said, the university had constructed 12 lecture rooms, student amenities and a dining hall. Prof Muzvidziwa said the university was deeply indebted to Prof Bhebhe in all the developments.

“The founding VC has been a visionary captain of the ship during the growth and expansion of the present day multi-campus MSU,” he said. “Your Excellency and Chancellor, in line with our broad mandate and national aspirations as espoused in your insightful 10 Point Plan as well as Zim-Asset philosophy, MSU is keen to contribute towards economic transformation in real terms.”

“As well as the successful and country-wide STEM Initiative by our minister, we are certainly embracing a paradigm shift that is intended to produce a more productive and entrepreneurial human capital that has a changed mindset. In this regard it is our fervent hope that the new curriculum will embrace both entrepreneurship and the STEM ethos right at the early childhood development level to revamp our Zimbabwean culture”.

Relating MSU success stories, Prof Muzvidziwa said the Faculty of Mining and Mineral Processing Engineering is setting up business incubation facilities for students in partnership with the Mining Industry and the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development to nurture a type of graduate who is not a job seeker.

He said the Faculty of Medicine, which enrolled it’s first cohort of students this year, is attracting some of the country’s doyens in the medical profession to impart knowledge to their enthusiastic students.

“Heeding our plea that there cannot be meaningful development without Local Government, our very own Midlands Province Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Cde Jason Machaya has led by example as the congregation will witness him receiving a BSC Honours degree in Local Governance studies,” said Prof Muzvidziwa.

“Additionally, the Department of Local Governance Studies scored a first in the history of the university as 50 students are set to receive $300 each from the Centre for African Studies of the University of Copenhagen for fieldwork as they work on their final year dissertations”.

Also in attendance was Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, Foreign Affairs Minister Cde Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and other senior Government officials.

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey