The gap between education and industry is being closed by educational programmes that incooporate entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Torerai Moyo has said.
Minister Moyo was speaking at the 2024 National Business Case Harare Province competition held at Prince Edward School.
In a speech read on his behalf by the education research director in the ministry Dr Patrick Ngandini, Minister Moyo emphasised the importance of entrepreneurship as a tool for economic empowerment and job creation.
"These competitions represent more than just a platform for showcasing business acumen," he said.
"They embody the spirit of innovation that our nation holds dear. The event is aligned to the National Development Strategy which positioned education as a key driver of economic and social development.
"Participants will be challenged to devise innovative solutions to real-world business cases, showcasing their strategic thinking."
He emphasised the Government's unwavering commitment to fostering entrepreneurship education in Zimbabwe.
"The National Business Case Competition, themed 'Entrepreneurship Education for a Better Zimbabwe' serves as a pivotal platform for nurturing the next generation of leaders and innovators," he said.
"This year's competition has garnered support from development partners, including Emergination Africa, which provided resources to facilitate the event."
Minister Moyo highlighted the critical role of entrepreneurship in driving economic growth and job creation.
"By integrating functional literacy and business enterprise skills into the heritage-based curriculum framework, the Government aims to equip students with the necessary skills to thrive in a competitive global landscape," he said.
"Education should not just be about acquiring knowledge, but about equipping individuals with the skills to navigate and shape their future lives."
Emergination Africa country director Mr Farai Mushawasha noted the congruence between the ministry's vision and that of his organisation.
"Of note is the combined vision to see learners become skilled in various enterprises and for schools to become self-sustaining entities through sustainable and profitable business ventures," he said.
"We run this competition every year, coming up with student innovation projects so that we can identify the best innovators and award them medals to motivate them."
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"After moving around the province, we will provide them with $5 000 to help them invest and start their companies in areas they excel in. We will then move to the other nine provinces left, and next year we will have a final competition to select the top five."
In one of the innovation projects showcased, a student from Westridge High School, Mufaro Muhwandagara introduced banana filter bottles that purify water.
"We made the banana filter bottles, which are made from banana peels," he said.
"It was not easy because we were trying to figure out how to make banana peels usable. After researching, we found that banana peels can be dried and processed into a powder.
"We tested it and found that it could purify water. We also added non-toxic chemicals that clean the water and kill germs. Additionally, we discovered that banana peels can remove odours."
A Harare High School student, Andrew Ndirimo said they initiated geo-plastic bottles that revolutionise sustainable packaging.
"We have created a geo-plastic bottle, and this method reduces pollution in our environment by recycling plastic. It took six months to develop our formulas," he said.
"Our future plan is to purchase modern machines to produce plastic bottles that will be delivered to companies. We have observed significant potential in biodegradable plastics."
