![](https://tellzim.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Dr2BGandawa2Bhands2Bover2Ba2Bcertificate2Bto2Ba2Bstudent2Bfrom2BEquatorial2BGuinea-770602.jpg)
Dr Gandawa hands over a certificate to a student from Equatorial Guinea
…pursues human capital development for rapid industrialisation
Moses Ziyambi
Masvingo Polytechnic last week Friday successfully held its 25th Graduation and Prize Giving Ceremony, a massive feat in the relatively short yet illustrious history of one of the most prestigious public college in the country.
The ceremony, with Higher and Tertiary Education deputy minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa as the guest of honour, was held under the theme ‘Human Capital Development for Rapid Industrialisation and Modernisation’ a subject which fits together with the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap 2015 – 2063 as well as the ZimAsset national policy blueprint.
The achievement was also witnessed by many dignitaries who included professors, doctors and other members of the academic corps drawn from Masvingo province and beyond.
Some 625 students from such departments as engineering, commerce, applied sciences and applied arts received their certificates, 282 of them being female.
The college also proved that it has managed to broaden its appeal beyond the traditional bounds, with a total of five students from Equatorial Guinea graduating with National Certificates in accountancy and human resources (HR) management.
Masvingo Polytechnic’s enrollment currently stands at 1 792 students and a total of 14 608 students have passed through the college since the first gradual ceremony in 1992.
Delivering his speech, Masvingo Polytechnic principal Evans Musara said the college remained resolute in its endeavour to continue churning out artisans needed to turn around the country’s economy.
“Our college enrolment bears testimony to the fact that we are geared towards the production of high level technically skilled cadres who will play a significant role as we strive for rapid industrialisation and modernisation of our country and even beyond our borders.
“Our enrolment is on the rise especially in the engineering division and this is attributed to programmes such as STEM which have witnessed unprecedented demand for training in the engineering division and information technology department,” said Musara.
In his presentation, Dr Gandawa challenged students to be enterprising, saying they must go and utilise the knowledge they acquired so as to make a difference in their communities.
“When you are learned, you must make your parents proud. You must show that you have just come out of a college which teaches well. You can only show that you are educated by the way you act in your communities.
“Are you leading by example, are you making a difference? If you don’t do that you bring shame to yourself and to all of us,” said Dr Gandawa.education