Whizkid lights up Zimbabwe varsity graduation

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, in his role as Chancellor of all State Universities, presided over Gwanda State University's (GSU) third graduation ceremony yesterday, where he capped 126 graduates at the institution's Epoch Mine campus in Insiza District, Matabeleland South Province.

The graduates hailed from the faculties of Engineering and the Environment and Natural Resources Management and Agriculture. Among them were 31 women, including standout graduate Senzelweyinkosi Ngwenya, who received 13 awards, including the Chancellor's Award for the most innovative research project and the Vice Chancellor's Award. She also received a special prize of US$1,000 for being the overall best graduating female student.
Institutional Milestones and Challenges

In her address, GSU Vice Chancellor Professor Doreen Moyo highlighted the university's strides in improving administrative and management systems. However, she expressed concerns over high staff turnover, which has impacted the institution's capacity to retain senior academic and administrative personnel.

"The university lost 23 staff members last year and an additional 31 this year, including academic and non-academic staff, due to attrition," Prof Moyo revealed.

Despite these challenges, Prof Moyo emphasized GSU's commitment to advancing education aligned with Zimbabwe's industrialization and modernization agenda.
Expansion of Academic Offerings

Prof Moyo announced the establishment of a Faculty of Computational Sciences, set to offer nine programs starting next year. These include degrees in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Software Engineering, Computer Science, and Applied Mathematics, among others.

"These programs are critical for Zimbabwe's industrialization agenda under the Fourth Industrial Revolution, driven by advancements in Artificial Intelligence," she said.
Infrastructure and Sustainability Projects

The university is scaling up its chicken and crop production projects as part of its Heritage-Based Education 5.0 philosophy, which prioritizes innovation and industrial growth. The broiler project will expand from 1,600 to 45,000 birds. The layers project will grow from 2,000 to 10,000 birds. A 100-hectare arable land allocation from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development will support commercial crop production.

The university has installed a movable centre pivot irrigation system, capable of irrigating 20 hectares, drawing water from the Insiza River. Currently powered by a generator, efforts are underway to connect it to the national power grid.
Technological Advancements

GSU has developed a Student Management System, enabling digitization of admissions, registration, fee payments, and examination processing. A Student Verification System allows verification of student identities through their ID cards.

Additionally, the work-for-fees program has been expanded to accommodate more students from disadvantaged backgrounds, increasing participation from one student last year to six this year, with plans for further growth.
Celebrating Excellence

President Mnangagwa was joined by dignitaries, including Dr. Frederick Shava, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, and Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs Minister Dr. Evelyn Ndlovu, to celebrate the achievements of the graduating class.

The ceremony underscored GSU's commitment to producing skilled graduates capable of driving Zimbabwe's socio-economic transformation while addressing the challenges of staff retention and resource constraints.