Housing demand database on cards
GOVERNMENT will this year establish a national housing demand database to enable planning in provision of decent accommodation.
The establishment of the housing demand database is one of key deliverables for this year for Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities Permanent Secretary Engineer Joy Makumbe as contained in her performance contract brief for this year.
Permanent Secretaries are now signing annual performance contracts as part of Government measures to improve service delivery.
According to the brief, Engineer Makumbe is expected to“develop and monitor housing demand database, manage and monitor municipal housing demand database and coordinate the allocation of housing in accordance with ministry policy and facilitate the processing of title deeds.”
She is also expected to develop and monitor housing allocation criteria for all local authorities including acquisition of land for urban and rural resettlement development.
Other targets include regularising housing developments including housing cooperative schemes in consultation with relevant ministries; prepare and implement model housing and development plans for rural and urban settlements; develop national housing standards and ensure compliance; ensure compliance to national housing and social amenities development standards and guide the siting and classification of human settlements among others.
The ministry was allocated $2,8 billion in the 2021 budget for its programmes.
Meanwhile the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development will this year embark on infrastructure development and rehabilitation in colleges, universities and other training institutions.
The programme is part of the brief for the Permanent Secretary, Professor Fanuel Tagwira for 2021.
The brief also includes increasing access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics programme; internationalisation of Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education system, capacitation of four colleges namely Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic, Mkoba Teachers College, Masvingo Teachers College and Marymount Teachers College to train at least 50 science, technology engineering and mathematics teachers per institute and implement education 5.0 curriculum at all State universities and tertiary education colleges among others.
The ministry also expects to increase uptake of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM) subjects, enhance research and development and improve generation and utilisation of advanced knowledge and technologies.
The ministry also intends to strengthen the national apprenticeship programme, implement the graduate internship programme and establish national strategic science institutions.