Govt targets teaching transformation

BRIGHTON
MURONZEREYI

in Suzhou, China

GOVERNMENT has called on teachers to move beyond theoretical teaching and embrace practical, technology-driven approaches that equip learners with skills to solve real-world problems and contribute to Zimbabwe’s economic transformation.
Speaking in Suzhou, China, on Thursday during a seminar on Education Management for Zimbabwe, the deputy minister of Primary and Secondary Education, Angeline Gata, said teachers needed to continuously update their skills to keep pace with changes in technology, society and the economy.
“What makes this programme particularly meaningful is that we have come together not simply to talk about education, but to learn from one another’s experiences.
“The development of a teacher does not begin when they enter a classroom, nor does it end when they receive their qualification.
“Our teachers’ colleges and universities play a very important role in preparing teachers before they enter the profession. The world does not stand still, and neither can our teachers. The skills required by the economy change.
“Our teachers need opportunities to continue learning, developing and improving throughout their careers.
“That is why Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is so important,” Gata said.
She said teachers could no longer rely solely on knowledge and methods acquired when they entered the profession, urging them to remain open to new approaches.
“I believe that one of the greatest things this programme has given us is not simply knowledge; it is the reminder that learning itself must never stop.
“A teacher who graduated 10 or 20 years ago cannot be expected to teach today’s learners using only the knowledge and methods they acquired at the beginning of their career.
“We have to keep learning, keep asking questions and be willing to try new approaches. We have to be willing to admit that there may be a better way of doing something.
“This is where the support of the Chinese Government is particularly valuable,” Gata said.
She said continued educational exchanges between Zimbabwe and China would expose local education professionals to practical teaching methods and new innovations.
“You have given our education professionals an opportunity to come here, see what is being done, engage with colleagues and experience different approaches first-hand.
“Sometimes, seeing something in practice teaches us more than reading about it in a document.
“We can return home and ask ourselves: What can we do differently? What can we improve? What can we adapt to our own Zimbabwean context? That is the real value of CPD,” she said.
Gata said the government’s investment in education was central to its ambition of building an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
“Our national aspiration is to build a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society by 2030.
“The National Development Strategy 2 provides the framework for taking us towards that vision. If we want a productive economy, we need skilled people.
“If we want innovation, we need creative thinkers.
“If we want industrialisation, we need people with the right knowledge and competencies. And if we want to build a better Zimbabwe, we must begin by investing in our children and in the people who teach them,” Gata said.
She said the country’s Education 5.0 thrust required schools to produce learners who could apply knowledge to practical challenges rather than simply pursue qualifications.
“This is why education cannot be separated from national development.
“Our national Education 5.0 thrust also reminds us that education must contribute to more than the acquisition of qualifications.
“We want education to produce people who can innovate, solve problems, create opportunities and contribute to the development of our communities and economy.
“We want our learners to be able to compete in the modern world, but we also want them to know where they come from.
“We want them to value their heritage, their communities and the principles of Ubuntu-unhu, while at the same time being confident enough to engage with science, technology and innovation,” Gata said.
She said Zimbabwe also sought to learn from China’s experience in teacher development, technology, digital education, innovation, vocational education and education management.
Suzhou University of Science and Technology vice-president, Tang Baijian said the institution had extensive experience in providing training and capacity-development programmes for developing countries.
“China has remained committed to fostering virtue through education as its fundamental mission, offering a complete talent-cultivating system covering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, while prioritising the training of top innovative talents.
“To date, we have successfully organised 150 sessions covering more than 130 countries, receiving over 2 500 officials and technical professionals in sectors including environmental protection, energy, logistics, education, architecture, urban planning and civil engineering.
“In 2015, we were listed as one of China’s first batch of universities authorised to offer China Aid master’s degree programmes, having nurtured more than 250 international postgraduate students under this scheme.
“We have established a three-dimensional China Aid education system, integrating short-term thematic training, long-term degree education and overseas technical advisory services.
“As a strategic platform, two or three universities leverage disciplinary strengths to uphold the philosophy of teaching people how to fish and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
“Guided by the principles of forward-looking planning, high-standard programme delivery and premium services, we mobilise interdisciplinary resources to translate China’s industrial development practices into replicable and actionable development solutions, empowering developing countries to unlock their internal growth momentum.
“We assembled a multidisciplinary teaching team comprising top experts with joint support from local government and enterprises.
“This programme is far more than a classroom for professional capacity improvement.
“It also serves as a bond of friendship and a bridge of cooperation linking Suzhou University of Science and Technology with each of you,” Tang said.
Zimbabwe’s Education 5.0 model shifts the academic focus from traditional instruction toward heritage-based innovation, industrialisation, and practical problem-solving. Capacity-building initiatives and international educator exchanges with institutions like Suzhou University support national economic development goals.