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Nust reverting to its mandate of teaching Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics,
14 Nov 2015 at 08:11hrs | Views
THE NATIONAL University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo is in the process of reverting to its mandate of teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. This was revealed by Nust's acting Vice Chancellor Professor Samson Sibanda during a graduation ceremony where Nust Chancellor capped 2,388 students who graduated in different disciplines of which a total of 1,752 were undergraduate degree recipients while 629 were conferred with masters' degree and 7 were doctorates.
In his speech, Nust's acting VC Sibanda said the institution was in the process of reverting to its mandate of teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, in line with the government's new national thrust.
"In terms of enrolment our part one intake for 2015 stands at 2,325 of whom 1,381 (59,4) percent are of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This shows a gradual shift of emphasis towards STEM disciplines in line with the university's mandate. We're fully aware of the concerns and perception of the government that Nust seems to have deviated from its mandate. We're addressing this issue and we hope that by next year there'll be evidence of efforts in this regard," said Prof Sibanda.
He said despite numerous challenges that the university was facing, it had made huge strides towards widening access to higher education through increasing the number of parallel and block release programmes for the benefit of working individuals and students who could not enter university through the conventional way.
"The second strategic direction relates to the generation of knowledge, development of skills through research and solutions as well as identifying and exploiting alternative sources of funding," said Prof Sibanda.
He said there was a need to upgrade infrastructure and pay staff on time to ensure effective learning.
"Infrastructural development is at variance with staff and student numbers. Since its foundation in 1991, Nust has remained largely a construction site. The issue of timely or untimely disbursements of salaries is an area of great concern to us as a community. All the same we would like to thank the government for restoring the 100 percent salaries disbursement to universities," said Prof Sibanda.
In his speech, Nust's acting VC Sibanda said the institution was in the process of reverting to its mandate of teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, in line with the government's new national thrust.
"In terms of enrolment our part one intake for 2015 stands at 2,325 of whom 1,381 (59,4) percent are of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This shows a gradual shift of emphasis towards STEM disciplines in line with the university's mandate. We're fully aware of the concerns and perception of the government that Nust seems to have deviated from its mandate. We're addressing this issue and we hope that by next year there'll be evidence of efforts in this regard," said Prof Sibanda.
He said despite numerous challenges that the university was facing, it had made huge strides towards widening access to higher education through increasing the number of parallel and block release programmes for the benefit of working individuals and students who could not enter university through the conventional way.
"The second strategic direction relates to the generation of knowledge, development of skills through research and solutions as well as identifying and exploiting alternative sources of funding," said Prof Sibanda.
He said there was a need to upgrade infrastructure and pay staff on time to ensure effective learning.
"Infrastructural development is at variance with staff and student numbers. Since its foundation in 1991, Nust has remained largely a construction site. The issue of timely or untimely disbursements of salaries is an area of great concern to us as a community. All the same we would like to thank the government for restoring the 100 percent salaries disbursement to universities," said Prof Sibanda.
Source - chronicle
