Setting up of Robert Mugabe varsity begins

GOVERNMENT has begun the process of setting up the Robert Mugabe University with the University of Zimbabwe expected to play a part in its establishment.

The specialised skills university will be built in honour of President Mugabe’s sterling contribution to the education sector.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo recently said the university would be owned by the Robert Mugabe Foundation, which would be established in due course.

“By the way, there is quite some discussion to set up a Robert Mugabe University and it has reached a level where we have approached the University of Zimbabwe. The University of Zimbabwe has been asked to incubate it, but it is going to be a university owned by the Robert Mugabe Foundation soon to be established in order to give it the latitude it needs,” said Prof Moyo.

He said the university, whose mandate was still under consideration, would be a SMART university.

“It’s intended to be a SMART university, technology you know, high-end skills development, hardware engineering, software engineering, but anyway what it is going to do and so forth is an open issue that is yet to be done,” the Minister said.

Appearing before a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher and Tertiary Education earlier this year, Prof Moyo said President Mugabe deserved the special honour of having a university named after him, just as other African countries had done for their leaders.

“Surely, for an iconic leader who has distinguished himself in the area of education and has contributed immensely to education, it would make sense to have a Robert Mugabe University.

“We should have a university named after President Mugabe, although we have a Robert Mugabe School of Intelligence. This is not enough, we should honour our founding father, President Mugabe, for his contribution to this nation,” he said.

Prof Moyo said President Mugabe was a scholar par excellence throughout Africa and the naming of the school after him was a way of honouring the President’s achievements in the area of education.

“There is a Nelson Mandela University in South Africa; there is Moi University — one of the best universities in East Africa,” he said.

“There is Kenyatta University, another excellent university in Africa. We need a successful university in Zimbabwe as well, signifying our exceptional leader.”

The Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) also houses the multi-million dollar Robert Gabriel Mugabe School of Education. The school accommodates about 5 000 students.