Source: Zim calls for tertiary curricula alignment with industry – herald
Business Reporter
The Government has called for stronger collaboration to develop tertiary curricula that aligns with the demands of modern industry and build the technical workforce that the future requires.
This was revealed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development, Ambassador Rudo Chitiga, at the “Future Workforce Dialogue” held last Friday.
In her remarks, Ambassador Chitiga said Zimbabwe should move away from being a theory-oriented country but rather be focused on creating the technical skills that are required for development.
She expressed concerns that graduates now lack the technical knowledge and skills required to effectively contribute to industry, as many students are graduating with theoretical knowledge but lack the practical technical expertise.
Industry players have been on record highlighting that universities and training institutions are producing graduates with limited knowledge and expertise in their chosen fields, which in turn hinders their ability to drive innovation and growth in industry.
To address this issue, a key suggestion was made for universities to adopt a more industry-informed approach, with lecturers gaining professional immersion in industry to stay up to date with the latest developments and technologies.
Professional immersion refers to the practice of educators or lecturers gaining hands-on experience and insight into industry practices, allowing them to bring real-world knowledge and expertise into the classroom.
This can involve internships, industry placements, or collaborative projects with industry partners, enabling lecturers to stay current with industry developments and trends.
Doing so will allow lecturers to impart relevant and current knowledge to students, better equipping them for the workforce and enabling them to make a more seamless transition into industry roles.
“We are not developing enough artisans because all of us want degrees. We look down on anyone who went to a polytechnic, who went to a TVET. Consequently, anyone with technical skills, we always look down upon.
“We need to change the national mindset towards technical skills. We need to change the national mindset to invest in technical skills,” said Ambassador Chitiga.
She spoke on the need to seriously adopt Education 5.0 as a driver of economic growth.
“Let us just make our education practical, provide enough tools to ensure that our education is meaningful, and produces a practical basis.
“The theoreticians are no longer required in the workforce, even of the future. So I think it is important that we have people who have practical skills and competencies,” she added.
Education 5.0 is an emerging educational philosophy that builds on previous models by adding innovation and industrialisation to the traditional pillars of teaching, research, and community service.
It focuses on a heritage-based, outcomes-oriented approach to produce graduates who can contribute to national development by solving problems, creating value, and driving the modernisation of the economy through local resources and new technologies.
Speaking at the event, Industrial Psychology Consultants founder and managing consultant Mr Memory Nguwi said Zimbabwean education should move away from putting more emphasis on the classroom.
“Our education system leans mostly towards producing managers but it is not designed to produce hands-on workers. We should know that human capital is judged by what it produces,” said Mr Nguwi.
Applied Development Economist Dr Reneth Mano said sectors must collaborate to craft industry-led curricula, ensuring graduates are job-ready, rather than just fulfilling academic requirements.
“Private and public sectors must come together to identify the key skills that are needed in the industry, so that by the time someone graduates, they are ready to do the work.
“You realise that the product that is coming out of the university is not industry-led. So they spend four years, then they come and they start being taught the real-life way of working, and that’s not proper,” said Dr Mano.
The event aimed to encourage human capital development, to drive innovation-driven industrialisation, and to inform skills development strategies.
It brought together experts and industry leaders to discuss and identify key areas that require attention and development.
The dialogue’s key objectives included the identification of areas that needed human capital development that would support industrial growth, and recognising the ever-evolving training and job trends critical in driving economic progress.
It also aimed to craft strategies that would promote innovation-driven industrialisation, leveraging innovative practices to boost productivity and competitiveness.
The event also provided recommendations on skills development for policymakers and stakeholders, ensuring that the workforce is equipped with the necessary skills to contribute to the country’s economic development and growth.
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