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Chinhoyi University of Technology Chancellor President Mugabe shares a lighter moment with vice chancellor Professor David Simbi during the institution’s ninth graduation ceremony in Chinhoyi yesterday. — (Picture by Munyaradzi Chamalimba)

Chinhoyi Bureau
PRESIDENT Mugabe yesterday capped 1 245 graduates at the ninth Chinhoyi University of Technology graduation ceremony. The jubilant graduates broke into the Gushungo chants as he conferred degrees. In his address, Vice Chancellor Professor David Simbi underscored the importance of developing strategies that would lead to an increase in the number of students passing Mathematics and Science subjects at secondary schools.

“The proportion of students enrolling in the Science and Engineering-driven programmes remains low. That more students are being admitted into the Schools of Business Science and Management and Hospitality and Tourism, is a reflection perhaps of the difficulties facing the nation’s secondary school system.

“It is not producing enough students with Mathematics and the Sciences to meet entry requirements into our Science and Technology-driven programmes in the Schools of Agriculture and Engineering Science and Technology,” he said.

He said strategies should be developed to retain and attract teachers while Government should establish schools that are dedicated to the production of Mathematics and Science pupils.

Prof Simbi said CUT was working on establishing pre-university foundation courses in Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics in an effort to increase the quota of pupils that would eventually enrol for Science and Technology-driven programmes.

He said the university would soon be working with Zimsec and Chinhoyi High School to improve practical laboratory classes leading to examinations that would be equivalent to advanced Level.

The Vice Chancellor said CUT had seconded some of its scientists to assist in the detoxification of the Hwange National Park area affected by cyanide poisoning.

He said the country had crawled out of the economic hardship and now needs to re-direct higher education to the dimensions of greater wisdom and understanding in Science and Technology fields.

“Now we seem to have arrested the downward spiral of our economy, the need to get out of the trough is equally now more urgent than before. We must move with speed to create and foster the second and third tier or levels of the higher education ladder (wisdom and understanding).
“Let us borrow from the Asian tigers and invest in Science and Technology development of the higher education system,” he said.
He said there was need for setting up centres of excellence that respond to the country’s peculiar needs in mining exploration, health, metallurgy and agriculture among other fields.

Prof Simbi warned that funding for research could not be left to well-wishers only as they often come with strings attached.
“There has to be a paradigm shift that allows for Government to fund through scholarships, investigations that address problems in various sectors ranging from agriculture, mining, agro-processing, transportation through to social and health provision,” he said.
CUT chairperson of council Dr Rabson Mafoti said the Government of National Unity was not consistent in funding infrastructural development and research and implored the new Government would prioritise capacity building in universities.