By Violet Mashonga
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday capped 3,484 graduates at the 21st graduation ceremony of Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT), with the majority of graduands being female.
The President, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, presided over the ceremony attended by several senior government officials, including Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Mashonaland West Marian Chombo, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Ambassador Frederick Shava, and ZANU PF provincial chairperson Mary Mliswa-Chikoka.
Vice Chancellor Professor David Simbi said the university continued to align its programmes with the national Education 5.0 policy, which emphasises teaching, research, innovation, community service and industrialisation.
He highlighted that 53 percent of the graduates were female, reflecting the institution’s efforts to promote gender inclusivity, particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.
President Mnangagwa also presented awards to six outstanding students for exceptional academic performance in various disciplines including chemistry, information technology and business sciences. The prizes ranged between US$500 and US$1,000.
The university announced plans to expand its research and innovation portfolio through the establishment of an Animal Embryo Technology Transfer Laboratory and the launch of a campus radio station.
The graduation ceremony was marked by celebrations from students and their families, with CUT reaffirming its commitment to producing graduates equipped with practical skills to contribute to national deveçlopment.
