MUTARE — Tertiary institutions have been commended for advancing gender inclusion and equity after women accounted for the majority of graduates at Africa Un...
MUTARE — Tertiary institutions have been commended for advancing gender inclusion and equity after women accounted for the majority of graduates at Africa University’s graduation ceremony held in Mutare on Saturday.
More than 54 percent of the graduates at the United Methodist Church-affiliated pan-African institution were women, a development education stakeholders described as a significant achievement in promoting female participation in higher education and leadership.
Advertisement
The milestone comes as the African Union’s Agenda 2063 continues to prioritise the elimination of gender disparities across all levels of education across the continent.
Africa University Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Mageto said the increase in the number of female graduates was a result of deliberate efforts to address historical inequalities.
“The numbers we are seeing today are not an accident; they are the result of conscious, deliberate policy designs aimed at correcting historical gender imbalances. When you empower an African woman with high-level skills, you directly empower a community, a nation, and the entire continent,” said Professor Mageto.
The Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) said the achievement reflects growing efforts by institutions of higher learning to create inclusive academic environments while maintaining quality education.
Chief Executive Officer of ZIMCHE, Professor Kuzvinetsa Peter Dzvimbo, said gender equity should go hand in hand with quality assurance and skills development.
“As ZIMCHE, we commend private institutions like Africa University for creating inclusive, forward-thinking academic pathways. True transformation under our national Education 5.0 framework requires that we harness the intellect of all our people,” he said.
Professor Dzvimbo said the organisation remained committed to ensuring graduates possess globally competitive skills that contribute to national development and industrialisation.
Female graduates expressed confidence in their ability to contribute to Africa’s growth through innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership.
“We are not just graduating to seek employment; we have been trained in innovation hubs to be the creators of new industries, the designers of modern public policies, and the architects of an independent continent. The future of Africa is being written today, and its authors are women,” said one female graduand.
Another graduate said the female majority at the institution demonstrated the impact of targeted scholarships and innovation spaces in reducing gender disparities.
“Graduating today within a 54.6 percent female majority proves that when private universities invest heavily in targeted sub-regional scholarships and tech-driven innovation spaces, the gender gap closes rapidly,” she said.
Among the graduates at the ceremony was Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Engineer Polite Kambamura, who graduated with a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Governance.
As the Education 5.0 model continues to transform Zimbabwe’s higher education sector, tertiary institutions are increasingly positioning themselves as centres of innovation, skills development and production-oriented learning.
