THE Government has said academics at higher and tertiary institutions should transform research projects into goods and services that will help generate revenues and improve workers’ salaries.
The call comes at a time when the Second Republic has started implementing Heritage-Based Education 5.0. The new education model’s thrust is to produce entrepreneurs as opposed to job- seeking graduates.
Education 5.0 is a five-mission model of teaching, research, community service, innovation and industrialisation, established to move the nation forward towards an innovation-led and knowledge-driven economy.
Speaking during the 3rd Bulawayo Polytechnic International Research Conference at the college campus yesterday, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development acting Permanent Secretary Professor Norman Rudhumbu said gone are the days when academics would just produce academic papers that do not address societal challenges
He said academics at institutions of higher learning should tap into their potential and contribute to the country’s industrialisation and national development.
“So, focusing on human needs entails asking the following question: what do our people want? We have stopped researching for the sake of researching. We have stopped researching because I want to be a professor,” said Prof Rudhumbu.
“For you now to become a professor, as a basic, you must have a doctorate degree but over and above your papers, you must have produced goods and services even if you publish 1 000 papers.”
Prof Rudhumbu said if universities and colleges produce goods and services from researched work, it will address issues to do with low remuneration for staff.
University and college workers recently petitioned Parliament over poor salaries.
Prof Rudhumbu said while Government understands the employees’ concerns, institutions should be innovative and generate revenues to improve their workers’ salaries.
“They came from colleges and universities saying they are getting peanuts after working so hard. We agreed that they are getting peanuts and our ministry is doing something about it. What I can only say now is that very soon there will be an announcement concerning salaries,” he said.
Prof Rudhumbu said salaries for colleges and universities staff should not be just what they get from Government but should include money earned from their projects and innovations.
He said Government had directed university vice-chancellors and college principals to establish projects that will improve the welfare of workers.
Prof Rudhumbu said going forward contracts for administrators at universities and colleges will be renewed depending on their productivity.
“We will be visiting these institutions with our Minister (Professor Amon Murwira) and Members of Parliament will also be visiting the same institutions to see what exactly our vice-chancellors and college principals are doing,” said Prof Rudhumbu.
He said they will not be reading reports but will be visiting the institutions to see what is on the ground.
“We will not renew contracts of the administrators if employees are not benefiting from their institutions’ projects as directed,” said Prof Rudhumbu
He said President Mnangagwa has given direction on how universities and colleges should contribute to national development.
Prof Rudhumbu said institutions should support President Mnangagwa’s agenda to transform the country.
“It is no longer a matter of choice but a must to move away from the old ways of doing things.
The New Dispensation under His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Dr E.D Mnangagwa has a clear vision,” said Prof Rudhumbu.
He said President Mnangagwa wants a higher and tertiary education that contributes to national development through technology and innovation.
“Our President has been very clear that science, technology and innovation should guide our industrialisation and modernisation,” said prof Rudhumbu.
The conference which was running under the theme: ‘TVET Producing Tangible Solutions Towards Vision 2030″ was attended by various institutions of higher learning and the private sector with the aim of coming up with solutions to challenges facing the country.