Prof Fanuel Tagwira
By Dickson Bandera
With urgency and conviction, Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Professor Fanuel Tagwira, opened a key SADC technical meeting in Harare with a powerful call: the Southern African region must radically reorient its education systems to produce job creators, not just job seekers.
Prof Tagwira was standing in for the meetings chairperson, Hon Minister Fredrick Shava.
Speaking at the commencement of the regional gathering on education, science, and innovation for industrialization, Professor Tagwira said SADC’s future depends on how effectively it integrates its education systems with the demands of the labor market and emerging technologies.
The session, held at the Harare International Conference Centre, set the tone for a series of strategic dialogues involving senior government officials, technical experts, and development partners.
“No nation can rise above the level of its education,” Professor Tagwira declared, setting a firm foundation for the day’s deliberations. He emphasized that meaningful industrialization in the region must begin in classrooms, workshops, and laboratories — with curricula that equip young people with relevant skills, critical thinking, and entrepreneurial capacity.
He pointed to the SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (2015–2063) as the guiding policy framework, but stressed that without decisive implementation, it risks becoming a mere aspiration. Central to this roadmap, he noted, is the proposed SADC University of Transformation (SUT), a regional higher learning institution that aims to merge academic knowledge with practical industry experience.
“By ratifying the SUT, we commit to producing graduates who do not wait to be employed, but who create enterprises, innovate, and lead. That is the kind of human capital we need to transform this region,” said Tagwira.
He warned that current education systems in many SADC countries are misaligned with economic needs, and often fail to prepare learners for the demands of the digital and industrial age. Citing a 2024 UNESCO study showing that over 30% of young people in the region lack basic literacy and numeracy skills, he called for an urgent overhaul of early education, with emphasis on digital tools and inclusive learning methods.
Tagwira also expressed concern over the ongoing brain drain affecting the region, particularly in healthcare and technical professions. “SADC has become a fishing ground for health professionals by developed nations. We cannot continue to train for export. Urgent human capital planning is needed,” he said.
He challenged member states to adopt the Revised TVET Strategic Framework (2024–2030) and the SADC Qualifications Framework, which are designed to harmonize vocational training and ensure mutual recognition of skills across the region.
“A mechanic trained and certified in Malawi should be employable in Mozambique without questions. Standardization and portability of qualifications are essential if we are to achieve regional integration,” he added.
Throughout his speech, Prof Tagwira applauded the role of development partners such as UNESCO, the Gates Foundation, and the International Labour Organization, whose support for regional education and skills development programmes — like FuturelifeNow! — he described as “transformative investments in our shared future.”
For Prof Tagwira further had a passionate appeal, calling SADC to be pragmatic: “The time for deliberation is over; the time for action is now. Let us build a SADC where no skill is wasted and no learner is left behind. Let us industrialize with knowledge, with science, and with our youth at the centre.”
The remarks set the tone for a critical week of dialogue, with outcomes expected to influence upcoming ministerial policy decisions across the region.
