News / Education
Prof Jonathan Moyo calls for education overhaul
12 Mar 2015 at 09:04hrs | Views
PROFESSOR Jonathan Moyo, Zanu-PF's secretary for Science and Technology, says Zimbabwe's science education in tertiary institutions is not fit for purpose and has demanded an overhaul.
Zimbabwe does not apply its Science and Technology education to public policy analysis and implementation, he said.
"There is a big disconnect between our acclaimed literacy and our poor state of Science and Technology. There is a disconnection between our high literacy rate and the quality of our tertiary education. We don't have a culture of applying science and technology to public policy analysis and implementation," Prof Moyo said in his first pronouncements under his new party portfolio which he assumed in December last year.
Prof Moyo, who is also the Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister, says Zimbabwe has not invested in science education as well as supporting innovation and scientific enquiry.
"We're profoundly political in everything we do, in and outside government. Science and Technology, especially nanotechnology, don't feature in our national budget. The time has come for a major rethink. Our universities and research institutions must be at the forefront of our economic development," he said.
Prof Moyo, in a statement distributed through his Facebook page, urged the government to invest in Science and Technology by having a budget for research institutions and universities.
"We need to go beyond the critique of colonialism and imperialism and stake our aspirations as our own liberators through Science and Technology," he went on.
"At least five percent of our GDP should represent our commitment to support science and technology. Companies that develop useable patents or are involved in practical R&D should be given tax incentives and rebates while national universities and research centres that are involved in nanotechnologies should by that fact be given funding incentives," he said.
He added that a special fund should be created to link national universities and research institutions with Zimbabweans in the diaspora who have critical skills in designated applications of nanotechnology.
Zimbabwe does not apply its Science and Technology education to public policy analysis and implementation, he said.
"There is a big disconnect between our acclaimed literacy and our poor state of Science and Technology. There is a disconnection between our high literacy rate and the quality of our tertiary education. We don't have a culture of applying science and technology to public policy analysis and implementation," Prof Moyo said in his first pronouncements under his new party portfolio which he assumed in December last year.
Prof Moyo, who is also the Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister, says Zimbabwe has not invested in science education as well as supporting innovation and scientific enquiry.
"We're profoundly political in everything we do, in and outside government. Science and Technology, especially nanotechnology, don't feature in our national budget. The time has come for a major rethink. Our universities and research institutions must be at the forefront of our economic development," he said.
Prof Moyo, in a statement distributed through his Facebook page, urged the government to invest in Science and Technology by having a budget for research institutions and universities.
"We need to go beyond the critique of colonialism and imperialism and stake our aspirations as our own liberators through Science and Technology," he went on.
"At least five percent of our GDP should represent our commitment to support science and technology. Companies that develop useable patents or are involved in practical R&D should be given tax incentives and rebates while national universities and research centres that are involved in nanotechnologies should by that fact be given funding incentives," he said.
He added that a special fund should be created to link national universities and research institutions with Zimbabweans in the diaspora who have critical skills in designated applications of nanotechnology.
Source - chronicle
