The Government is working on establishing an industrial training college in Plumtree, CITE has learnt.
In an interview with CITE, Alick Masisa from Lubahhe, a local pressure group, which advocated for the construction of a polytechnic in Plumtree said stakeholders are expected to meet on October 2 to strategise on the way forward.
“The government has agreed to our idea of opening a polytechnic here in Plumtree. At the moment we have identified an area where we will set up the college. On the 2nd of October we are going to receive feedback from the committee who are dealing with identifying the area,” said Masisa.
Masisa said they want the younger generation to acquire skills before moving to neighbouring countries.
“The Polytechnic is mainly for acquiring skills for example engineering, carpentry or accounting and many other general skills. We want our children to have certificates so that even when they are going to neighbouring countries such as South Africa or Botswana, they have certificates and certain skills,” he said.
He added that the polytechnic will also develop Plumtree and create employment.
“Also, the polytechnic will in a way develop Plumtree as it will attract other people to come and learn this side and it will even create employment,” said Masisa.
Contacted for a comment, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Amon Murwira confirmed the move and said the government started working on the project two years ago.
“We are in the process of trying to expand our access to higher and tertiary education so we are planning to open an industrial training college in Plumtree and we are in the process of applying for land and I think we might have been given already,” said Minister Murwira.
“We started working on this program about two years ago and I am sure that next year we will start construction. We did Hwange, we are now doing Plumtree, Chivi, we are moving, we are increasing the hands-on training.”
