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Fungai Lupande-Mash Central Bureau

Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) has completed the construction of a  hostel, which is set to ease accommodation woes for 352 female students who are renting in surrounding suburbs.

Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of Implementation and Monitoring Dr Joram Gumbo, recently toured the hostel, innovation hub and engineering workshops.

Minister Gumbo called on all universities to provide adequate student accommodation especially for the girl children who are prone to abuse.

“We have almost 20 universities across the country and student accommodation is an area we must make sure that there is enough work being done,” he said.

“This new 352-girls hostel is a fantastic thing for the girl child. This will keep them away from the pressures of travelling long distances after lessons. This places them at risk of meeting rowdy people or engaging in activities that can affect their performances in class,” said Minister Gumbo.

The hostels are almost ready for occupation, beginning this semester as outstanding works are marginal.

President Mnangagwa is expected to commission the girls’ hostel, workshop and innovation hub.

Said Minister Gumbo: “The tour has been an eye opener for me as to what this university can produce and the plans for the future in developing our country.

“This is in line with the President’s mantra of building our country ‘brick by brick, stone upon stone’. There are many sections at this university that I went through which I think are very helpful to our nation.”

BUSE has plans to build a sporting complex for the grooming of athletes and a factory for processing of the masawu fruit.

Already, the National Biotechnology Authority of Zimbabwe has set up a Mapfura processing plant in Mwenezi, where villagers are making a lot of money from selling the mapfura to the plant.

It is expected that once BUSE starts to process the masawu fruit, many villagers in Mashonaland Central will generate incomes and feed families together with sending children to school.

BUSE Vice Chancellor Professor Eddie Mwenje said the Government was supportive in the development of human capital. 

He said the university is experiencing student accommodation challenges and was delighted that the 352-bed girls’ hostel was ready for occupation.

“As you know this project was resuscitated during this period of the Second Republic and in a week’s time students will be able to take occupation of the hostels,” said Prof Mwenje.

“Our female students are prone to the vices of society and this much-needed facility is ready for occupation. We thank the Government for funding this particular venture.”

Prof Mwenje added that universities were central to the development and industrialisation of the country.

To this end, President Mnangagwa has facilitated the setting up of university innovation hubs.

Prof Mwenje said their innovation hub was complete and had some innovations that were ready for commissioning.

“We are grateful to our Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education for supporting this venture and for the Government for taking this central role. Our role is to make sure that Zimbabwe is industrialised and we take our place in that,” he said.