‘Investing in Stem guarantees world economic success’
INVESTING in science and technology guarantees economic success as it brings in solutions to challenges being faced by the nation and the whole world, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education director for Bulawayo Province Mr Benard Mazambani has said.
Bulawayo is hosting a four-day World Robotic Olympiad (WRO), an international competition that brings in young people from across the world to come up with robotic solutions to a challenge that they will be given.
Bulawayo PED Mr Bernard Mazambane
This year’s event runs under the theme: “Connecting the World” and was organised by Girls in STEM TRUST in partnership with Irish Aid, Telco, and Learners Factory.
Participants aged between 10 to 17 years old have been drawn from different schools in Bulawayo with mentors from local institutions including the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) and the Oasis Business Hub.
Mr Mazambani said science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has great potential in the future education and the Government is making significant efforts to have education policies that support STEM studies for its students.
He said the WRO initiative is a step towards equipping graduates with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the modern world and adopt 21st-century technologies that have proven to be a catalyst for home-grown solutions to various community challenges.
“The beauty of investing in science and technology is that it guarantees economic success,” said Mr Mazambani.
“We’re going to need the brain power of the next generation to fix the mistakes of the past. And we must ensure that students from all backgrounds are given the chance to contribute.
“Diversity in science and technology leads to diversity in solutions, and when these solutions emerge, we need to celebrate them as a nation and provide a conducive environment for our future technology experts to do what their predecessors did, that is to believe in science and technology, to use science and technology and to continue to invest in science and technology.”
In an interview during the event, Girls in STEM Trust founder and Director, Ms Victoria Nxumalo said it is important for girls as well as boys to take up these technologies.
“If we look at the 4th industrial revolution, it is very important for young women and girls as well as boys to also be taking up these technologies.
“So, the WRO is one way in which we are able to do that,” she said. —chronicle
Preps for Africa Green, Waste and Energy Expo & Summit at advanced stage
Preps for Africa Green, Waste and Energy Expo & Summit at advanced stage
Environment Permanent Secretary Mr Raphael Tayerera Faranisi
ABOUT 1 400 delegates from across the world are expected to attend this year’s edition of the Africa Green,
Waste and Energy Expo & Summit to be held in the capital later this month.
At least 20 speakers who form part of the resource persons have already confirmed their participation at the three-day event.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Raphael Faranisi told a press conference on Tuesday that there will be seven side events to be led by key industry players, apart from the main one.
These include a simulation Conference of Parties session for children, and an arts festival running on the theme of the Green Expo and Summit that will be taking place in different venues in the town.
Other key topics to be deliberated on in the side events to be led by different key sector players include The Future of Energy, Climate Smart Agriculture, The Future of Work, Climate Promise, Sustainable Cities, among others.
Faranisi said the Green Expo and Summit is expected to bring participants from over 20 countries, a development which will have a ripple effect on the country in showcasing it as a tourist and business destination of choice and demonstrate that indeed the country is open
for business.
He said the expo is coming at a time when the Government recently launched the Carbon Trading Framework, which seeks to incentive Climate
action and is expected to stimulate investments and meaningful action by sector players.
“More importantly it will also benefit local actors and the country at large through its carefully structured revenue sharing model,” he said.
“It is of paramount importance that I highlight that the Government of Zimbabwe has also progressed very well in strengthening the institutional and technical capacities of sector players to meet the enhanced transparency requirements in the Paris Agreement through the
Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) and in stock taking the progress made in the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions.”
The expo and summit will run from 26 – 28 July 2023, under the theme “Just Transition – Remodeling Systems.”
-New Ziana
