Amb Smelly Dube Hails Zimbabwe’s Innovation-Led Education Model as Catalyst for Economic Transformation
GWERU– River Valley Group Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Professor Smelly Dube, has called on Zimbabwean graduates to transition from being job hunters to job creators, praising President’s Mnangagwa’s
“Education 5.0” model as the catalyst for sustainable economic transformation.
Speaking as the Guest of Honor at the Sisters Training College graduation ceremony on Friday, Amb Dube told over 50 graduands that the nation’s future relies on citizens who can operate businesses rather than those who simply wait for employment.
“You are graduating at a time when our country is pushing an education system that is about innovation and application, not just theory,” Amb Dube said. “I am proud that Sisters Training College has embraced this.”
The ceremony saw students receiving diplomas and certificates in Tourism and Hospitality Management, Beauty Therapy, and Information Technology. The curriculum at the institution emphasizes hands-on experience, a move Amb Dube noted is essential for surviving in today’s competitive market.
Drawing from her own experience as a prominent property mogul and business leader, Amb Dube urged the class of 2026 to view their qualifications as “tools to solve problems” rather than “tickets to a job interview.”
“You did not just sit in class; you operated real salons, created real events, and served real clients,” she told the graduates. “That is what the nation needs—graduates who can do the work from day one. You are now armed to be financially independent, to employ others, and to mentor the next girl.”
The Principal of Sisters Training College, Ms. Kudzai Chikoore, echoed these sentiments, stating that the institution’s mission remains focused on producing “industry-ready” professionals capable of immediate impact.
The graduation comes at a pivotal time for Zimbabwe’s higher education sector as steered by His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa’s vision of catapulting the nation to a prosperous upper middle class country by 2030.
Under the Education 5.0 policy, the Government has shifted focus away from traditional academic theory toward a five-pillar system: teaching, research, community outreach, innovation, and industrialization.
As the Midlands province continues to produce a new cohort of technically trained professionals, policymakers are increasingly looking toward such vocational institutions to bridge the gap between classroom learning and industrial self-reliance.
