His Excellency President Dr Emmerson D Mnangagwa has advised school children to invest in education so that they will be equipped with skills to build the country.
He was speaking at the official commissioning of 17 schools built in the 8 provinces in the country at Makumimavi Government School in Chikomba West on Friday.
“Our children, no matter where they live must be thoroughly equipped with skills and competencies to face today, tomorrow and the future with greater confidence and broad abilities.
“Our children must be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with others anywhere in the world,” he said.
President Mnangagwa emphasized the need to have skills to the develop the country than just orating poems.
“We must nurture education systems which empowers our young people with the requisite knowledge and skills so that we are able to feed ourselves, mordenise and industrialise our countries to propel the development of the continent.
“The education that do not provide the learner or give a learner a skill or a service is not profitable to the development of our motherland.
“In this regard, the heritage based education curriculum now promotes the teaching of Science Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics disciplines.
“This has shifted the paradigms in the education sector by nurturing entrepreneurs, innovators and investors who must produce goods and service than being fluent in orating Shakespeare,” he said.
The President hastened the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to ehance coordinated implementation of programs.
“I also exhort the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and other stakeholders to enhance coordinated implementation of programmes that ensure an innovative culture and a science technology ecosystem that is entrenched right at the primary and secondary education levels,” he said.
He added that his government is inclusive to those in rural areas and he is running with different programmes to empower people in the rural areas.
“Every Zimbabwean, including those in rural communities, are vital cogs in our quest to realise a prosperous society under vision 2030.
“Under our rural modernization and industrialisation agenda my Government will continue to facilitate the increased spread of electricity and internet connectivity in our country’s rural areas,” he said.
The Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Hon Torerai Moyo concurred with President Mnangagwa.
“What we are witnessing today your Excellency aligns well with your vision which aims to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle income economy by 2030.
“By investing in the education infrastructure the government is laying the foundation for a skilled workforce, innovations and entrepreneurship of all of which are critical in achieving sustainable economic growth and development,” he said.
He highlighted the importance of building schools in rural areas so that every child’s right to education is realised.
“These schools are located in remote rural areas where access to education infrastructure has traditionally been limited.
“These facilities will bring learning opportunities to communities that previously had insufficient schooling facilities,” he said.
Makumimavi Government Primary School is now a self sufficient school having a solar powered Borehole, 20 000litres storage tanks, 1 ha drip technology garden, 2 fish pods for Fishery projects and upto date computer lab to equip the learners with skills.
His Excellency donated 100 computers and projectors to 20 schools in Chikomba each set to benefit 5 computers.
Story by Farirai Mutumburanzou
