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The Rhodesia Herald,

June 1, 1968  

THE University College of Rhodesia is to initiate a new method of teaching agriculture in which the theory is integrated with the practical problems the students meet after leaving university.

In a statement yesterday, the principal, Professor Terence Miller, said the plan would affect the teaching of agricultural economics.

“The plan is to include, as an integral part of the agricultural degree course at the college, a series of lectures by acknowledged experts in various fields such as agricultural marketing, extension, credit and so on,” he said.

“The student will be forced to relate theoretical concepts to practical problems as seen by experts and the follow-up to each special lecture will attempt to ensure that he achieves some kind of reconciliation between them. The student and his future employer should benefit greatly from the scheme.”

Explaining the reason for introducing the method, Prof Miller said the basic weakness in the teaching of economics, both in Rhodesia and in other countries, was that the gap between theory imparted to the student at university level and the practical problems with which he was confronted as a graduate, had tended to widen rather than close.

“Consequently, the graduate in social studies usually needs several years of practical experience with Government or industry before he begins to pull his weight.”

The scheme would remedy the situation.

He said the experiment had been made possible through co-operation of Government departments and other organisations.

Among those who had undertaken to give lectures were the Secretary for Internal Affairs, the Registrar of Co-operatives, and other Government officials.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

• One of the greatest challenge that has been facing the education system has been to bridge the gap between theory and practice. It is critical that the education curricula be continuously revised to take into consideration new challenges and demands of industry.
• In the same vein, it is also critical to train students not just to be future employees, but also future employers by imparting entrepreneurial skills in addition to their technical skills.
• There is need for companies and organisations to interact with academic institutions so that the courses or lessons that are taught, address the challenges faced in those areas and that graduates produced are competent enough to offer solutions to these challenges.
• The incorporation of internships/attachments in the curricula is a major step towards closing the gaps found in the education programmes.