We’re aiming to uplift lives: President

Source: We’re aiming to uplift lives: President | The Herald

President Mnangagwa

Midlands Bureau

The Government is implementing far reaching programmes to ensure national economic reconstruction and social transformation to uplift the lives of the people, President Mnangagwa said on Friday.

He was addressing delegates during the laying of the Foundation Stone for the Midlands State University (MSU) National Pathology Research and Diagnostic Centre, the opening of the MSU National Language Institute and tour of the MSU Pharmaceutical and Food Processing Plant.

The events coincided with the university’s 22nd graduation ceremony which saw a record 6 594 students graduating during the blended ceremony.

“Since the advent of the Second Republic, my Government has been implementing bold programmes of national economic reconstruction and social transformation to create national wealth and lift millions into prosperity,” said President Mnangagwa.

“To this end, the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS-1) gives prominence to higher education.”

President Mnangagwa said Government prioritised developing educational capabilities to catapult science, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship under the Heritage Based Education 5.0 philosophy.

He said the initiative obligated institutions of higher learning, in particular, to become actively involved in the growth of the country’s economy through the provision of technical and research-based solutions.

President Mnangagwa said in the spirit of encouraging healthy competition amongst institutions of higher learning, adjudication processes were underway to determine the State university that has developed and nurtured the most successful innovations.

He said the development of appropriate home-grown innovations and technologies was a fundamental aspect of this policy.

“The infrastructure, facilities and innovations that we have gathered to witness today resonate with goal nine of the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” said President Mnangagwa.

“They also speak to goal four of the African Union’s Agenda 2063 on Transformed Economies: Realised through Science, Technology and Innovation driven by manufacturing, industrialisation and value addition.

“I call upon the University to leverage on the Language Development Laboratories and produce an assortment of reading materials, especially in Braille, as well as other assistive devices such as hearing aids.”

President Mnangagwa said the Presidential Horticulture Programme presented immense potential for exponential growth and value addition of fruits, vegetables and other horticulture produce.

He said the Pharmaceutical and Food Processing Plant established by MSU will be of great use in that regard.

“I, therefore, encourage MSU to increase research on indigenous fruits, which are abundant in all parts of our country,” said President Mnangagwa.

“Such research must equally sharpen the discourse around unlocking the comparative advantages of the respective wards and districts in the Midlands Province, for the growth of the Provincial Gross Domestic Product.”

President Mnangagwa said he expected the facilities he toured at MSU to act as catalysts for sustainable socio-economic development, job creation and the production of more “Made in Zimbabwe” goods and services.

He said the National Language Institute was repositioning the country’s linguistic heritage as a cornerstone for national development.

“I commend the university for translating Covid-19 educational materials and the National Development Strategy into all the official languages,” said President Mnangagwa.

“The Institute will undoubtedly contribute to the preservation and promotion of indigenous languages and enhanced access to information by all people.

“The translation of all key documentation is applauded and must be expanded to a broader array of national policies and development-related literature.”

President Mnangagwa challenged all universities to compete against each other in innovation, adding that Government stood ready to support innovations with the required resources.

“As a result of initiatives witnessed here at MSU and many others throughout the country, I am strongly persuaded that by 2030, Zimbabwe would have achieved successes and realised landmark innovations and a knowledge driven economy,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said the development of any society was often associated with the quality of its higher education, adding that universities, polytechnics and technological institutions, now had a more pronounced relevance to the competitiveness of the country’s economy, as well as to the improvement of the quality of life of the people.

He said education, human capital, economic growth and the welfare of people were inter-related.

“The Pathology Research and Diagnostic Centre, for which I have laid the foundation stone, comes at an opportune time, with regards to the provision of affordable laboratory medicine and our ongoing quest to achieve Universal Health Coverage,” said President Mnangagwa.

“It is pleasing that the establishment of the Centre is envisaged to stimulate the local manufacturing of laboratory reagents and point of care devices.

“I exhort the University to now urgently equip this facility for the speedy growth of high-end capabilities for disease surveillance, control and prevention.”

President Mnangagwa said the milestones realised by MSU in the research and innovation sphere gave meaning to Government’s commitment to generate wealth while providing platforms for young boys and girls to showcase their talents and ideas.

He said to ensure sustained momentum of these and other programmes and projects, Government remained unwavering in its quest to create a conducive environment for innovators and institutions of higher learning to play their part in the attainment of Vision 2030.