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Prof Moyo

Bianca Leboho and Praise Bvumbamera
Government proposes to allocate $3 million from Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (ZIMDEF) to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in selected high schools countrywide.

Addressing graduates and Government officials during a graduation ceremony at Seke Teachers College recently, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo, said the money would be used to develop laboratories in identified well equipped A Level high schools in the country.

“Each of the well situated and reasonably equipped high schools in each of the 60 rural administrative districts across the country, will be allocated $50 000, which will enable the schools to deepen and upgrade their capacity to become state of the art STEM hubs for our colleges and universities.

“Each STEM hub in each of the districts will serve as a center of excellence for the learning and teaching of STEM subjects as schools in the district will learn the best STEM practices during school days and holidays,” said Prof Moyo.

He said it was important for national colleges and universities in the country to set aside full scholarships, which would support the STEM initiatives and lessen the brain drain that was facilitated by foreign universities that attracted best stu0srsities reap where they do not sow yearly by issuing out scholarships to most of our best students every academic year.

Most of these students do not come back upon completion of their studies, which is causing severe brain drain in the country,” he said.

Prof Moyo said it was vital for colleges and universities in the country to support STEM initiative to ensure that the academics produced would contribute to the economic growth of the country.

He said that teachers were key to achieving STEM goals and urged Seke Teachers’ College to strengthen the STEM initiative in teacher education in order to enhance the socio-economic education of the nation.

Prof Moyo congratulated Seke Teachers College for having the highest enrolment of early childhood development teachers, with the institution producing 19 percent of the 4390 students enrolled in the country’s 10 primary teachers colleges.

University of Zimbabwe Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Pedzisai Mashiri, said it was vital for teachers’ colleges to strengthen their science and technology curriculum as this would empower teachers with adequate skills required to advance STEM goals.

“It is important to appreciate that for school learners to get the best of education, teachers must be well educated, appropriately skilled and properly equipped.

“Teachers must demonstrate skills in teaching practical, technical and vocational subjects, otherwise the nation might not be able to attain its STEM goals,” said Professor Mashiri.

Seke has churned out 12197 primary school teachers to date and this year alone had 602 students graduating.