ZNCC advocates enterprise development in schools

ZNCC advocates enterprise development in schools
Published: 25 June 2018
THE Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) says enterprise development should be a major component of education in schools for the country to produce learners that would add value to the economy.

Speaking at the National Association of Secondary Heads (Nash) annual conference that ended in the resort town on Friday, ZNCC chief executive, Mr Chris Mugaga, said the education curriculum being used in schools does not prepare learners for the industry because it does not speak to the demands of the economy.

He urged schools to subscribe to business groupings in the country to create a relationship with industry. This, he said, would produce entrepreneurs in schools as well as facilitate career guidance.

"Can we have a curriculum, which speaks to the new economic order and contribute to building our economy. At the moment our education is not producing dividends, which are needed in the economy, we need to change," said Mr Mugaga.

He said industry can no longer employ Advanced Level school leavers for part time jobs as it used to because the training they get in secondary school does not add value to the economy.

Mr Mugaga said presently there is no relationship between secondary education and tertiary institutions.

"Let's have a school with a value chain relationship with a university. Economic transformation means that we can't remain a primary industry driven economy, we can't continue saying we are an agro-based economy but should move to be a manufacturing and ICT based economy," said Mr Mugaga.

He challenged financial partners such as banks and humanitarian organisations that sponsor extra-curricular activities to also consider pouring money towards entrepreneurship development in the same learning institutions.

"You should also be members of the business community as there are huge benefits in such a relationship. We should transform our curriculum and turn learners into entrepreneurs than the current situation where people think of getting into business when they fail to get a job or are retrenched. There should be career guidance in schools as this adds value and exposes kids to the professional world," said Mr Mugaga.

He said exposing learners to the professional and business world while in school also has a benefit of reducing chances of them engaging in corrupt activities when they join the industry.

Mr Mugaga said the industry was ready to help the country's education sector produce learners who are ready to join the corporate world. The theme of this year's conference was "Education for Economic Transformation."
- chronicle
Tags: ZNCC,

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