MINES and Mining Development minister Walter Chidakwa on Friday said government should introduce mining studies at primary school level as a way of developing the struggling sector.
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI
Speaking at the Zimbabwe School of Mines (ZSM) graduation ceremony in Bulawayo, Chidakwa said mining, geology and mine survey, currently taught at tertiary level, should be introduced at primary level.
“Mining and geology should start at primary school, not at the Zimbabwe School of Mines,” he said.
“If we can teach our children mining and geology while they are still at primary school, they will become familiar with them and be knowledgeable.”
Chidhakwa added that science subjects and mathematics should be made compulsory for all students at school.
“Science and maths subjects must be at the centre of the education system and must be compulsory like English language. These subjects lie in the development of our mining sector,” he said.
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Chidhakwa urged students who graduated to be exemplary in the communities they were being deployed to.
“I encourage you to be entrepreneurial both in mining business start-ups and facilitating and promoting creativity and innovation if employed in established organisations,” he said.
“You need to be hardworking, disciplined and shun corruption. Leadership of this country can formulate the best economic policies under the sun, but if they are not adhered to by the people who are supposed to let things work, the country won’t prosper.”
Chidhakwa said ZSM has been at the forefront of mining skills development in the country. In 2014, a total of 155 students graduated in various mining disciplines including geology, mining, mine survey, mineral processing and metallurgical assaying.
Among 153 student who graduated, 46 were foreign.
Meanwhile, ZSM chief executive officer Dzingirai Tusai said liquidity challenges had seen a large number of sponsors, organisations and individuals struggling to pay fees. According to him, this continued to affect the successful completion of studies by the students.
He noted that foreign enrolment declined mainly owing to the last-minute pull-out of Namibian students.
