State institutions must endeavor to facilitate rapid equitable development- Murwira

Paul Pindani

GOVERNMENT Institutions have been urged to endeavor to facilitate rapid equitable development, while taking measures to promote private initiative and self-reliance.

The call was made by Minister of Higher and Tertiary education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor, Amon Murwira, during the official opening of the Chinhoyi University International Conference, that was held at the Great Hall.

Murwira, said education must lead to industrialization and modernization through fostering the ability to produce goods and services.

He said the country`s constitution on national development states that all institutions and government agencies must endeavor to facilitate rapid and equitable development, to promote the upliftment of the standards of living of our people and self-reliance.

" It is  of paramount importance to have agricultural,  commercial, industrial ,technological and scientific development growth.

" We need to foster the development of industrial and commercial enterprises in order to empower Zimbabwean citizens and to balance development across Zimbabwe, irrespective of an area being rural or urban" said Murwira.

He said education 5.0 comes straight from the constitution.

"It`s just the way we then coil it.

A nation develops from what people know and what they can do. Your country becomes what you know and that dictates to you on what you can do, and nothing else,"

He added.

"How do we contextualize our education within the constitutional dictates?

Murwira said what it simply implies is that, education, by nature must lead to industrialization and modernization must foster the ability to produce goods and services.

"We have a vision of becoming a dignified people of an upper middle-income economy, you should be focusing on things that exist around you.”

“International recognition comes from the things you produce. Not what you can regurgitate," said Murwira

Professor Claudio Fontanesi University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy who presented a paper on Applied Electrochemistry, said it was imperative to create a new society with few differences.

"A new society, going into the future and trying to develop a world with few differences amongst the people," Fontanesi said.

He said he was in total agreement with what minister Murwira said about education.

" I am totally in agreement with what the minister said.”

Dr Ashwell Ndhlala of Green Biotechnologies, Research Centre, University of Limpopo, who presented position paper on, `Towards the Standardization of African Traditional Medicine`, told Mash West Times, that standardization of African traditional medicine is the only way that Africa can successfully build a bio economy, from its bio resources.

Ndhlala said it was imperative for the continent to take the route of standardizing its own the medicines.

"I think if we go around the route of standardizing our medicines, we would definitely save billions on importing medicines.

"We saw what happened during the covid-19 pandemic, drugs to fight the pandemic were in short supply due to their cost. Some governments spent billions on importing drugs, but we have got here natural products, natural medicines that could have been used to actually assist patients in recovering from the pandemic," said Ndhlala.

He added.

"The way forward for Africa is probably to come together as a continent, write down standards in terms of how to refine the use of our medicines and make them available, in mainstream health care systems, “said Ndhlala.

Kenson Enos Kumuponda, Karoi Town Council, ward 8 Councilor, told Mash West Times, that the conference was an eye opener for him.

" I learned a lot and l feel we should have more of such. The minister talked about reconfiguration of our minds and the importance of curriculum 5: 0 and to be innovative," said Kumuponda.

He added.

" Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo,"

Kumuponda said we have a role to play in the development of our communities, provinces and country at large.

Kumuponda said Murwira encouraged students to major their studies and research on local innovations, rather than foreign ones.

"He also blasted professors and academia who are not practically doing what they learned," he said.

Kumuponda said, Murwira urged Zimbabweans to be proud of themselves.