HARARE,– Former opposition leader Nelson Chamisa has unveiled a bold initiative aimed at curbing Zimbabwe’s ongoing brain drain and bridging the gap between educational achievements and job market opportunities. Chamisa’s new Citizens’ Affairs Plan, announced yesterday, proposes a comprehensive framework for citizens’ development from birth to adulthood, using data-driven strategies to enhance job market outcomes for graduates.
The plan seeks to provide every Zimbabwean with a national identity, social security, citizen number, and voter registration, all linked to their educational qualifications. This system, Chamisa explained, would activate when individuals complete their education, aligning their skills with available job market opportunities.
“In our proposal, we address these issues from birth through a robust system that assigns each citizen a national identity and integrates it with social security, a citizen number, and voter registration. This would be triggered upon completion of educational qualifications,” Chamisa said.
He emphasized the widening disconnect between Zimbabwe’s education system and its shrinking job market. Citing the recent graduation ceremony at the University of Zimbabwe, where 6,778 students, including 200 medical doctors, 256 lawyers, and 327 engineers, received degrees, Chamisa highlighted the lack of employment opportunities for these graduates due to ongoing economic challenges.
“We produce graduates year in and year out, but there is no viable plan to absorb these trained professionals into the job market,” Chamisa stated. He noted that without strategic career guidance and planning, many of these graduates face unemployment or are forced to seek work abroad, contributing to the nation’s brain drain.
Chamisa’s plan addresses this issue by integrating data from various sectors to create a more effective citizens’ affairs system. He argued that the absence of proper planning has resulted in a massive loss of human capital, as many talented young Zimbabweans either migrate or remain jobless.
“Too many graduates leave for greener pastures abroad, or they stay here, unemployed, joining the thousands already struggling without work or opportunities to start enterprises,” Chamisa added. “Only by implementing a radical, thoughtful, and inclusive citizens’ affairs plan can we turn educational achievements into real growth and prosperity for all.”
Chamisa’s proposal aims to build a structured and supportive framework to ensure that Zimbabwe’s investments in education translate into meaningful employment opportunities and drive the country’s broader economic and social development.
Source: Newsday