Zimbabwe implements Space Science programmes

Government is embarking on the implementation of Space Science programmes under the 100 days priority projects approved by Cabinet for immediate implementation.

Speaking to journalists at the last the post-Cabinet briefing of the year Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said government is commencing implementation of Space Science programmes through the Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development ministry to foster scientific research the in the country.

"Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development ministry will embark on implementation of Geospatial Aeronautical and Space Science Capacity Programmes.

"The Zimbabwe National Geospatial Space Agency board is currently being established while associated research programmes are already in progress," Mutsvangwa said.

Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency was established to contribute to areas including agriculture, disease surveillance and infrastructure management among others.

The programmes are said to rope in universities through innovation hubs and teachers will be capacitated to run science laboratories in the country.

Mutsvangwa also said both "A" and "O" Level students are set to be included in apprenticeship programmes which commence this month to reduce unemployment in the country.

"Conducting the cattle reproductive Technologies Research programme will see the production of 4 000 straws of semen per hour using the automated process at the Chinhoyi University of Technology.

"Teachers will also be capacitated in the teaching of science with the objective of starting with at least 1 000 science graduates and equipping of 10 science laboratories" she added.