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Minister Hungwe

Ellah Mukwati Herald Correspondent
Now is the time to revolutionise the education system and ensure that it equips students with academic and practical skills that contribute to socio- economic development, Minister of State for Liaising on Psychomotor Activities in Education, Cde Josiah Hungwe has said.

In a keynote address at a regional meeting on Technical, Vocational, Education and Training (TVET) and sustainable development held in Harare on Wednesday, Minister Hungwe said Zimbabwe’s education system, just like in other African countries, was characterised by an academic-oriented curriculum for the “bright” and, vocational-oriented one for slow learners .

“This is the time to interrogate the relevance of our education systems and contribution thereof to the socio-economic development of our respective countries.

“With the emerging complex skills of the 21st century, most economies have realised the need to upgrade and improve their education programmes, in particular the direction and development of technical and vocational education and training because of the continued expansion and technological needs of the manufacturing and industrial sectors,” he said.

Cde Hungwe said his office was created within the office of the President and Cabinet to oversee the mainstreaming of psychomotor activities in education and training.

“It is noted that giving prominence to academic oriented education has contributed to the challenge of unemployment. A balanced education which combines academic and practical skills development is a vehicle through which jobs can be created.

“Both academic and practical skills are useful to the extent that they are prerequisite to one form of employment.

“In Zimbabwe, the office responsible for Psychomotor Activities in Education is expected to provide a central coordinating role to ensure there is coordinated approach to implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on mainstreaming of psychomotor concept at all levels of learning,” Cde Hungwe said.

Cde Hungwe said work was in progress for the development of a Unified National TVET Policy to guide the acceleration of practical skills development in Zimbabwe.

“The objective is to equip learners with psychomotor skills, that is, entrepreneurial, technical, vocational and other life skills, including appropriate attitudes to ensure that the graduates emerging from the Zimbabwe education system are self-reliant, creative and contribute to economic growth,” said Cde Hungwe.

Cde Hungwe said Government was fully committed to supporting TVET as the approach is in line with Zim-Asset.