Insight into Zimbabwe’s skills deficit

Leroy Dzenga

A recent critical skills audit has revealed that despite Zimbabwe having a 94 percent literacy rate, its critical skills are at 38 percent.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, told ZTN news that the past education model produced literate graduates with little critical skills.

He outlined the extent of Zimbabwe’s skills deficit.

“Natural Sciences have a 3 percent skills level, Medicine 5 percent, Engineering 6 percent, Law 8 percent, Agriculture 12 percent.

“Only arts and commerce have a skills surplus of 13 percent and 21 percent respectively,” said Professor Murwira.

Skills deficit is when a graduate fails to perform the key roles they are expected to, after completing a college programme.

It also speaks to a graduate’s ability to respond to changes in their industry, as well as applying learnt content in real life situations.

Zimbabwe, since independence, has been pursuing an aggressive literacy oriented curriculum, and Government has decided to escalate the approach to ensure graduates are not only able to analyse issues, but can bring ideas to life.