
Today marks a proud moment for the University of Zimbabwe and its students as President Emmerson Mnangagwa officiated at a graduation ceremony that saw 6,778 students receiving their degrees. The breakdown is impressive on paper: 5,319 undergraduates, 1,432 postgraduates, 16 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) recipients, and 11 Master of Philosophy graduates, with a gender ratio of 52% male and 48% female.
By Brighton Musonza
At first glance, this seems like an academic triumph, a celebration of educational achievements for the country’s education system and the economy. But as we dig deeper into what these numbers represent, a critical question arises: Is this the right focus for Zimbabwe’s future? Are we, as a nation, prioritising the right areas of education to meet our economic and developmental needs?
While academic success is undoubtedly a source of pride, it is crucial to consider whether Zimbabwe’s heavy focus on traditional higher education is truly aligned with the country’s pressing needs. Zimbabwe’s economy, battered by years of de-industrialization, unemployment, and a shrinking manufacturing base, needs something much more than an influx of degree-holding graduates. It needs practical, vocational skills—the kind that helped build this country’s industries during the Rhodesian era.
The Displacement of Practical Education
Historically, Zimbabwe’s industrial base dating back to the Rhodesian times was built on the back of artisans and skilled tradespeople—boilermakers, welders, machinists, and draughtsmen—who had little more than a Cambridge Junior Certificate (JC). These were hands-on workers whose expertise and craftsmanship laid the foundation for a once-thriving industrial sector. Today, our industrial sector is a shadow of its former self, with multinational corporations steadily exiting Zimbabwe, leaving behind factories that lie dormant, and an economy in desperate need of revival.
And yet, in the face of these realities, we continue to place disproportionate emphasis on academic degrees over vocational and technical training. What we’re witnessing is an inflation of academic qualifications in areas that do not directly address the industrial and technical needs of Zimbabwe. Instead of training the artisans and craftsmen who will be crucial to re-industrializing our economy, we are churning out graduates who are being groomed to enter multinational corporations—many of which are fleeing not only Zimbabwe but large parts of Africa.
Vocational Training: A Missing Ingredient for Economic Revival
If we are to be serious about economic revival and re-industrialisation, Zimbabwe must pivot towards investing in vocational and technical education. We need more students enrolled in vocational colleges, learning the practical skills that can directly contribute to rebuilding our industries. Vocational education produces the kind of workforce that can revive our agricultural sectors, refurbish old factories, and lead innovations in the mining and energy sectors. Without it, we are training our youth for jobs that may not even exist within our borders, effectively preparing them to emigrate and contribute to the economic success of other nations, particularly in the Global North.
The impact of Zimbabwe’s brain drain is painfully evident. Thousands of Zimbabweans, especially the highly educated, are leaving the country in pursuit of better opportunities abroad. Countries like the UK, Canada, and Australia are eagerly absorbing Zimbabwean doctors, engineers, and IT professionals. While we should celebrate the global success of our citizens, we cannot ignore the fact that Zimbabwe is, in essence, subsidising the world’s human resource development budgets. We spend millions training students, only for them to serve other countries while Zimbabwe’s industries remain starved of talent.
Vocational training, however, has the potential to reverse this trend. Skilled tradespeople are less likely to migrate en masse because their expertise is grounded in the specific needs of local industries and they are more likely be the most adventurous entrepreneurs. By aligning educational programs with Zimbabwe’s industrial needs—particularly in mining, manufacturing, and energy—we can create opportunities at home that will retain our talent.
The Global Shift Towards Vocational Skills
Globally, there is a growing recognition of the value of vocational education. Countries like Germany and Switzerland have long embraced a dual education model that combines classroom learning with hands-on apprenticeships, producing a highly skilled workforce that supports thriving industrial sectors. In China, vocational education has been a cornerstone of its rapid industrialisation and economic growth. Even in advanced economies like the United States, there is a renewed emphasis on “blue-collar” jobs and the trades, as societies grapple with the need for infrastructure repair and technological manufacturing.
Zimbabwe must take a lesson from these models. By enhancing and promoting vocational training, we can lay the foundation for industries that can sustain long-term economic growth, reduce unemployment, and provide a pathway for young Zimbabweans to contribute meaningfully to national development.
Building a Future on Practical Skills
In an era of high unemployment and economic uncertainty, Zimbabwe’s education system needs to pivot toward practical solutions. While academic education has its place, it is not sufficient to meet the urgent needs of re-industrialization. We should be pouring resources into technical colleges and vocational training centres, creating partnerships with local industries, and ensuring that students have access to hands-on experience in fields that directly contribute to national development.
For Zimbabwe to thrive, it needs more artisans, engineers, technicians, and craftsmen. These are the people who will build the roads, maintain power plants, and create innovations in agriculture and mining. These are the professionals who will help Zimbabwe move beyond its economic challenges and toward a sustainable, self-sufficient future.
As we celebrate the success of today’s graduates, we must also reflect on how best to use our educational system to create a prosperous Zimbabwe. If we fail to realign our priorities, we risk becoming a country that produces degrees but lacks the practical skills to rebuild industries. Our focus must shift from academic inflation to vocational growth. Only then will Zimbabwe be able to rise from the ashes of de-industrialization and create a future built on a solid foundation of skilled labour.
Our future depends not just on academic qualifications but on practical, hands-on skills that can reignite Zimbabwe’s industrial heart. Let’s rethink our education system to ensure it delivers what our nation truly needs.