Brighton Chiseva
ZVISHAVANE – The Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) and YA FM recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will see the two institutions working together in research and joint mobilisation activities for the mutual benefit of both parties.
Present at the signing ceremony was GZU deputy registrar Innocent Chinyemba, Ya FM station manager Ellen Nyika, GZU media students and their lecturers.
The two institutions agreed on staff and student exchanges for purposes of work-related learning and research whereby GZU media students will be attached with the radio station.
The station will also do programming of some GZU activities like live broadcasts of such important events as graduation ceremonies.
Speaking after both parties appended their signatures, Professor Pesanayi Gwirai, who was representing GZU Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Andrew Chindanya, said the partnership will help to give experience to the students on work related learning before they complete their courses.
“Universities are blamed for churning out graduates who are unemployable and who do not carry requisite skills so this comes an advantage for our students who will now be grilled before they graduate,” said Gwirai
He also said the university will complement YA FM’s work of showcasing life in Zvishavane and surrounding communities through combined researches and documentaries.
Speaking at the same occasion, YA FM head of programming Lesley Moyo hailed GZU for providing interns who have made a difference at the radio station.
“We have had four GZU students among them, Librate Svuure, Roselyn Mutare and Admire Nago, who according to our assessments, is our second best presenter at the station,” said Moyo.
He also said the collaboration was just the beginning of many more partnerships to come by which the institutions will seek to promote each other.
He also revealed that the name YA simply means young and adults, the demographic segments that the station serves.education
