News / Education
Another state university on the cards
17 Jun 2015 at 06:44hrs | Views
Government is planning to set up another university - the Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (MUAST).
THE minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Oppah Muchinguri tabled the proposed university bill in parliament on Tuesday.
"Mr. Speaker Sir, I wish to submit to this august House the detailed principles justifying the establishment of the Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology," she said.
Muchinguri said the Government since 1980 established a policy to establish a State University in each of the ten country's provinces and this is in line with a focus on making higher education accessible to all citizens.
"As such, there is no State University in Mashonaland East Province and to address this deficiency and pursuant to the stated Government policy, I hereby seek approval from hon. Members of Parliament for the enactment of this Bill."
She said the province is one of the largest both in terms of area and population and has many high schools which produce Advanced Level graduates every year.
"Most of these have a burning desire to proceed to universities to acquire degrees.
The proposed niche areas of the University are: Agriculture (Soil, Crop, Horticulture, Animal Science, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Extension Services), Sciences (Chemistry, Biology/Botany, Zoology and Physics); and Technology (Engineering, Irrigation, Environment etc).
"These areas of study have been proposed because the province is a major producer of agricultural products and 68% of employed people in the province are in the agricultural sector and also because of the mining activity there and elsewhere in the province, environmental degradation which has occurred will be reversed."
THE minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Oppah Muchinguri tabled the proposed university bill in parliament on Tuesday.
"Mr. Speaker Sir, I wish to submit to this august House the detailed principles justifying the establishment of the Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology," she said.
Muchinguri said the Government since 1980 established a policy to establish a State University in each of the ten country's provinces and this is in line with a focus on making higher education accessible to all citizens.
"As such, there is no State University in Mashonaland East Province and to address this deficiency and pursuant to the stated Government policy, I hereby seek approval from hon. Members of Parliament for the enactment of this Bill."
She said the province is one of the largest both in terms of area and population and has many high schools which produce Advanced Level graduates every year.
"Most of these have a burning desire to proceed to universities to acquire degrees.
The proposed niche areas of the University are: Agriculture (Soil, Crop, Horticulture, Animal Science, Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Extension Services), Sciences (Chemistry, Biology/Botany, Zoology and Physics); and Technology (Engineering, Irrigation, Environment etc).
"These areas of study have been proposed because the province is a major producer of agricultural products and 68% of employed people in the province are in the agricultural sector and also because of the mining activity there and elsewhere in the province, environmental degradation which has occurred will be reversed."
Source - Byo24News
