‘Vocational subjects will help fight drug abuse’
AN effective rollout of technical and vocational subjects in secondary schools can help in the fight against drug and substance abuse, Mashonaland West Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Marian Chombo has said.
She said this yesterday after touring Chinhoyi Technical High School, where several technical subjects are being rolled out.
The school was named one of the 10 technical high schools in the country, as the country moves to adopt the Education 5.0 model.
Minister Chombo said drug and substance abuse, and child marriage menace can be a thing of the past if youths are capacitated with skills.
“A lot of our youths are finding themselves with nothing to do and end up engaging in drug and substance abuse and other illicit activities. But, if at the end of your school tenure, you are equipped with technical or vocational skills, you will be ready to face the world and its complications when you eventually leave school,” she said.
Zimbabwe is currently grappling with the scourge of drug and substance abuse.
Police recently busted a drug den at the Gwayagwaya Shopping Centre in Mashonaland West.
Chinhoyi Technical High School now offers Higher Education Examinations Council (HEXCO) courses such as crop production, animal production, garment construction, bakery studies, cabinet-making, cosmetology, technical graphics, building studies, and national strategic studies, among others.
“I would like to applaud the school for being one of the 10 leading schools to carry the flag of the country’s vision of promoting and developing entrepreneurial skills in our learners through the introduction of technical and vocational education,” said Minister Chombo.
“Chinhoyi Technical High School has taken education to another level, and has managed to walk the talk of the Second Republic Government’s mantra of making education accessible to all and leaving no one behind.”
Tinevimbo Mbirimi and Tanyaradzwa Musasa (Form Three and Form Two learners, respectively) both undertaking cosmetology course, say they have already started generating income from the vocational technical skills being imparted to them.
“During the holidays, I make money from the skill of plaiting hair, manicure and pedicure,” said Tinevimbo.
Tanyaradzwa said: “I am optimistic that by the time I finish my Ordinary Level, I would have mastered and benefited from the skills.”