MINISTER of Technology and Science Felix Mutati has advised management at St Mawagali Trades Training Institute in Choma Southern province to be industrious and use equipment at their disposal for income generation.
Speaking when he conferred the institution with the status of centre of excellence on Friday, Mutati noted that excellency was not a destination but must be a way of life.
“You have the ingredients of being the center of excellency. The centre of excellency is about the students doing the correct thing and giving the output.Demonstrate that you are coming from an institution that delivers excellency in the things that you do,” he said.
He told the students that their assessment in business will be based on their zeal to work hard and not the learning institution they attend.
“You have entered the circle which you must call the champions league. In the champions league the pressure is high you blink you lose. You cannot remain in the champions league without putting energy and playing your first automotive football, machining football on a continuous basis otherwise you get relegated to the lower division.You have to work hard,” he said.
Mutati warned that the institution would be given a financial penalty if students performed below average.
He advised the training institute to commercialise the automotive and machining department so that they can create revenue to improve the centre of excellency.
Mutati promised that the institution will be given a target that it is required to meet annually.
“Market yourselves to the public. Carry a badge of excellency,” he said.
Mutati advised management to do benchmarking with institutions in Zimbabwe that are offering similar courses.
“You cannot as an institution be in your own league. The jobs available in the constituencies let’s use Mawagali to do those jobs to generate revenue as an institution. Find them a partner in Zimbabwe so that they can be partners and learn from each other,” said Mutati.
“You only grow if you play in the same league. You can’t go and play in a lower league with another college that is not excellent. Poor performance is contagious find people of your level and walk together. Find your league.”
Brilliant Habeenzu who is the permanent secretary at the ministry of technology and science emphasised on diligence so that the institute is not stripped of the center of excellency status.
He said a performance audit will be conducted yearly and he does not expect to be summoned by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) over resource management at the institution.
“You have become more dependent, we will not expect wrong things. The production unit has to be properly managed so that you have good revenue being generated to benefit surrounding communities,” cautioned Habeenzu.
Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority (TEVETA) board chairperson Ngoza Chibesakunda said, the board will create a robust and responsive TEVET system for industry-relevant skills.
And St Mawagali Training Trades Institute Principal Tom Kampamba said the provision of
the latest state of the art equipment to the institution will make it attractive for business.
And Monze Diocese board chairperson Brother Hippolyte Manirakila said students will be equipped with Christian values so that they can serve the nation and the church without compromising their career.
“Those from the centre of excellence should should under no condition be undervalued in our settings as it is going to put a new torch or a new tone as one of the best service providers,” said Br. Manirakila.
By Mwaka Ndawa
