Steve Ephraem
MUTARE Polytechnic is humbled by the overwhelming response which their Intergrated Skills Outreach Programme (ISOP) received in Chimanimani.
The college descended onto Chimanimani this week and held the skills development courses at Chikukwa and Ngangu.
Speaking to this publication after the training exercise, Business Development Officer for Mutare Polytechic, Mr Tonderai Stanford Chawonza said that their model aims at empowering communities.
“Our Intergrated Skills Outreach Programme is a community service program in line with education 5.0 of imparting skills into the communities. Many communities are marginalised and their people face challenges of school fees. We therefore come to them to train them so that they can become empowered.
“Chimanimani residents are so charming. They responded so well. We thank Memorandum of Agreement which we entered with Chimanimani Rural District Council for our institution to offer such courses for free.
“I commend women very much since more than 60 percent of the trainees were female. We offered courses which include Early Childhood Development, Building, Carpentry, Garment Construction, Catering, Electrical Installation, Professional Cookery, Bakery Studies, Plumbing, Mechanical Engineering (Welding), Events Management and Ecotourism.
“We also found out that people in Chimanimani are interested in computer studies, Motor Mechanics, Auto Electrics, Start Your Own Business (SYB) and Hairdressing,” he said.
Mr Chawonza added that they train students in three phases being elementary, intermediate and advanced. He indicated that each level is taught for a total of 20 hrs before one moves to the next one.
Students are expected to pay only USD10 which will cater for their certification and graduation. The community service initiative shall resume in Chimanimani on 14 January 2023.
Mr Chawonza’s team comprised of 13 other lecturers.