Zimbabwe critical skills gap set for major boost

The science and technology skills gap in Zimbabwe is set to narrow as the government prioritizes scholarships offered by India and Mauritius.

Following a skills audit conducted in 2018 to align human resource development with the needs of the economy and national growth, shortages in science and technology skills were identified. Since then, various initiatives, led by President Mnangagwa, have been implemented to address these gaps.

During the recently concluded Africa Conclave on India-Africa Partnership, a Zimbabwean delegation led by Vice President Dr. Constantino Chiwenga secured tertiary education scholarships. The government has announced that the allocation of these scholarships will focus on addressing the identified skills gap.

Professor Fanuel Tagwira, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Technology Development, confirmed the priority areas after a meeting with India's Secretary for Higher Education.

"We had productive discussions where we agreed to cooperate in training," said Prof. Tagwira.

"India is willing to provide scholarships and places at some of their leading universities for training our staff at the Masters and PhD levels."

He also mentioned that Jindal, a private university in India, has offered opportunities for young Zimbabweans to study at their university and engineering college, a plan that will be implemented upon their return to Zimbabwe.

Prof. Tagwira further highlighted the partnership between Zimbabwe and India in research and development, particularly in developing new technologies such as lithium battery manufacturing. The countries also agreed to collaborate in space technologies, with a memorandum of understanding currently in progress.

"India is a key partner for us. If you want graduates with knowledge, skills, and entrepreneurial spirit, India is the place," Prof. Tagwira stated.

"We want to connect our polytechnics with those in India to produce graduates with practical knowledge. When we talk about Education 5.0, India's education system closely aligns with what we are developing at home."

Additionally, Prof. Tagwira praised Mauritius for offering scholarships after VP Chiwenga met with his Mauritian counterpart, VP Eddy Boissezon.

According to a recent World Education Forum report, Mauritius ranks third among 38 African countries for its education system based on skill development.