By Shadreck Gurenje
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said education merely for paper credentials, is no longer the focus of the Second Republic.
Giving his keynote address at Mutare Teachers College Fruit Juice and water processing plant in Mutare ,President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said through the ZANU PF led government robust education transformation agenda, the Second Republic has gone beyond just awarding degrees and certificates but promoting innovation and entrepreneurial mind-sets that produce goods and services which enhance national development.
“Indeed, Education merely for paper credentials, is no longer the focus of the Second Republic. Through our robust education transformation agenda, under the Heritage Based Education 5.0 philosophy, we have gone beyond just awarding degrees and certificates.
“We are promoting innovation, hard honest work and entrepreneurial mind-sets that produce goods and services which enhance national development. Learning institutions are now leading in value addition and the creation of new industries. In this regard, this state-of[1]the-art plant is part of such ongoing efforts and will see Mutare Teachers’ College value-adding indigenous fruits through the production of fruit juice as well as bottled water. This will result in greater skills sets and increased revenue within the College.
“It is commendable that the construction of this plant saw Mutare Teachers’ College collaborating with Masvingo Polytechnic and Verify Engineering, for the plant sizing, installation and commissioning.
“Such synergies should be encouraged and constitute the manner of achieving results within the education sector and Government as a whole, “said President Mnangagwa.
The Head of State and Government also underscored that the plant will produce 16 thousand litres of fruit juice on an 8-hour working day and the juices will be developed from locally available fruits that are abundant in Manicaland Province chief among them baobab, pineapple, banana and guava.
President Mnangagwa also challenge women and youth to play a leading role in agro-forestry initiatives to expand production lines as the nation accelerate towards the realisation of vision 2030.
“I call upon our local communities, women and the youth to be involved in agro-forestry initiatives. Going forward, I challenge Mutare Teachers’ College to go beyond the production of fruit juices and the bottling of water. Greater efforts must be made to expand production lines to other high value aspects of the business, which include products such as baobab powder, anti-oxidants as well as oils for cosmetic and other therapeutic uses.
“Right from the outset, remain mindful of our drive to ‘move up the value chain’, in line with our country’s Industrialisation Policy and Local Content Strategy. Other aspects, therefore, which relate to packaging, marketing and distribution of the products must be pursued for enhanced self-sufficiency in your production processes. You are, thus, urged to be holistic with regards to your business strategy,”said President Mnangagwa.
On the International relations, President Mnangagwa said Riding on the successes of the Second Republic’s Engagement and Re-engagement Policy stakeholders in the higher and tertiary education, innovation, science and technology sector should pursue closer cooperation and alliances with countries in the 11 Global South to enhance the country’s technological independence.