Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Amon Murwira has said that Zimbabwe’s economy has not been doing so well because of education during a meeting between President Emmerson Mnangagwa and university students in Harare today.
Zimbabwe’s economy has been characterised by the closing of companies and an unemployment rate of over 70 per cent according to statistics.
“I have to tell this August House that normally colleges and universities since independence have been looking at three missions which is teaching, research and consultancy,” Murwira said.
“Teaching was mostly done and consultancy a bit, research also a bit, so that’s why we have very high literacy rate but without too much skills, so the economy has not been doing so well because of education.”
The Tertiary Education Minister went on to say that the Zimbabwean leader added two more missions to the three missioned tertiary institutions to make sure that education produces goods and services.
“You have added innovation by creating innovation hubs at universities,” said Murwira to the President. “You have started with six (innovation hubs) this is just a start”.
“Before it was university 4.0 you (President) were not satisfied by that and said we should industrialise as well. So your excellency you have allowed the Ministry to establish industrial parks thoughout the country in all local authorities specifically for students in the universities and colleges which we call industrial packs.”
The Zimbabwean leader officially opened the ICT policy which is allows the government to create innovations hub.
Zimbabwe is said to have one of the highest literacy rates in Africa.
The country is however facing cash challenges and also foreign currency shortages.
