Nust lecturer collapses, dies

RENOWNED researcher and National University of Science and Technology (Nust) lecturer, Professor George Shava has died.

He was 59.

Prof Shava succumbed to heart disease on Saturday at his home in Bulawayo.

He was one of the few full professors at Nust who was instrumental in crafting policies around the training of high school teachers and implementing Education 5.0.

In an interview yesterday at their family home at Lot 1, Beuna Vista, his widow, Mrs Nosizo Shava described her late husband as a loving person who was passionate about academic issues. "We are saddened by the loss of our father, friend and grandfather who was so full of life. He was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2016 and has been on medication since then," she said.

"On Saturday after supper, he just collapsed and when we got to the hospital we received the bad news. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and the church."

Mrs Shava said a service will be held today at their home at 12 midday before the family leaves for Mberengwa where Prof Shava will be buried tomorrow.

Prof Shava joined Nust in 2011 as a lecturer and was promoted to senior lecturer, then associate professor and eventually a full professor.

Nust director of communication and marketing Mr Thabani Mpofu said Prof Shava was an academic and mentor par excellence.

"He supervised several PhD students locally and regionally, and these include students from Zimbabwe Open University, the North West University in South Africa, the University of Namibia and Nust," he said.

"He was supervising three students at Nust currently and he externally supervised 17 PhD students from local and regional universities including the Tshwane University, University in Limpopo Northwest University in South Africa and some were from the University of Namibia."

Mr Mpofu said Prof Shava was a well-published scholar with close to 60 publications.

"We have lost a researcher and academic and we are poorer as Nust as he was an expert in technical engineering training and education which is key to implementing Education 5.0," he said.

He said Prof Shava was an expert in terms of training high school teachers. He was involved in training academics for the teacher programme.

"Prof Shava mentored many academics and was always willing to work with anyone. On behalf of the council chairperson, the Vice Chancellor, and the Nust family we would like to send our condolences to Mrs Shava, her family and friends," said Mr Mpofu.

"We are at a loss of words and we will cherish the hard work that Prof Shava put in for our academic institution."

Nust Dean of Science and Technology Education Professor Lwazi Sibanda said the faculty has lost one of its renowned and decorated researchers.

"He was a kind and dedicated colleague mentoring many students and even colleagues without complaining. He had an undying passion for research and encouraged all his students to publish their articles," she said.

"He also contributed a lot to research and was also involved in running our yearly conference as a faculty, something which will be missed now that he is gone."