By Tadiwa Shunje
MASVINGO – Learners have been urged to develop entrepreneurial mindsets and explore
alternative career paths as formal employment opportunities continue to shrink.
This came out during the belated Africa World Heritage Day commemorations held at the
new visitor centre at Great Zimbabwe World Heritage Site on June 18, 2026.
Speaking at the event, Great Zimbabwe Local Management Committee chairperson
Constantine Mutuwanyuka said many young people complete their education expecting to
secure formal employment, yet jobs were increasingly difficult to find.
He encouraged learners to use visits to heritage sites such as Great Zimbabwe to broaden
their thinking and consider alternative ways of earning a living rather than relying solely on
formal employment.
“The greatest challenge I see for many learners is that, once they finish school, their aim is to
get employment. The question is, how do you get employment when jobs are scarce?
“As we visit places like this, they should open your minds as learners to think about what you
can do after school. You may wish to become a dancer like those performing here, but you
can also find alternatives. Instead of looking for a job, you could own a hotel and invite
dancers to perform on weekends, which in turn boosts your business,” said Mutuwanyuka.
Mutuwanyuka used the example of farming to illustrate the importance of adaptability and
innovation.
“The idea is that when you go to the market to sell cabbage but fail to grow cabbage, you
should be able to find something else that can generate income. Always keep yourself
occupied and keep planning how best you can overcome challenges where possible,” he said.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education Masvingo Director for Education Services in
Petronella Nyangwe, who was representing the Provincial Education Director (PED),
Shylatte Mhike said the commemorations provided an important learning opportunity for
students to appreciate the country’s natural and cultural heritage and understand the
importance of preserving it for future generations.
She said heritage sites such as Great Zimbabwe serve as living classrooms that help learners
understand their history and inspire future storytelling.
“It is an important day for learners because they get to learn about our natural and cultural
heritage and how to preserve it for future use. These monuments can also inspire people to
write stories and document history. They are classrooms where learners continue to be
educated,” said Nyangwe.
She added that the traditional artefacts and construction techniques on display demonstrated
the inventiveness of Zimbabwe’s ancestors and should inspire young people to become
innovative in their own lives.
“Through these traditional tools and artefacts, we see how innovative our ancestors were.
This should teach learners that they, too, can be innovative and create opportunities for
themselves after school. The baskets, blankets made from tree bark and even the Great
Enclosure, which was built from stone without mortar, all demonstrate remarkable
innovation,” she said.
Junior Parliamentarian Shantel Saungwame said the commemorations had deepened her
understanding of Great Zimbabwe and the need to preserve the country’s heritage.
“Today we are learning about Great Zimbabwe and the Great Enclosure. Honestly, I did not
know much about these things before, but today I have learnt a lot. As students, we should
deeply appreciate what our ancestors did and think about what we can do to preserve it for
future generations,” she said.
