Mavima Warns of STEM Advancement Gap, Calls for Ur...

Mavima Warns of STEM Advancement Gap, Calls for Urgent Skills Reform

Oscar J. Jeke - Zim Now Reporter

Zimbabwe’s Minister of Skills Audit and Development, Professor Paul Mavima, has raised alarm over the country’s persistent skills gap in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields, warning that continued underdevelopment in these sectors could stall economic transformation and worsen youth unemployment.

Speaking during an interactive “Q&A Session” on X, Mavima revealed that findings from broad-based consultations across provinces and national stakeholders showed Zimbabwe still significantly lags behind in all STEM-related disciplines.

“Using the 2018 Audit as a baseline, we have done broad-based consultation with stakeholders at the national level and at provinces. We have found out that we are still lacking in all STEM areas,” Mavima said.

The minister added that beyond the technical gap, Zimbabweans also face a soft skills deficit in key areas that support leadership and productivity in modern economies.

“We have also found out that we lack soft skills around leadership, communication, etc.,” he noted.

Mavima, who heads a newly restructured ministry focused on aligning national skills with economic demand, emphasized that resolving youth unemployment requires dual focus: boosting low-level technical skills for immediate self-employment, and revamping high-level STEM capabilities for long-term economic growth.

“To fix youth unemployment, training should focus on areas that have high demand in industry and those areas that will allow graduates to start their own businesses. Low-level technical skills such as plumbing and brick laying are a sure way to generate self-employment,” he said.

He outlined the need for urgent and unconventional approaches to bridge the skills mismatch, revealing that government is partnering with private sector players to launch a non-conventional school. This institution will offer courses certified by international tech giants such as Google and Microsoft, alongside local qualifications.

“We are doing a non-conventional school that will be a collaboration between Government and the private sector. We will run courses, some of which will get certification from international partners such as Google and Microsoft,” said Mavima.

The initiative is expected to offer globally relevant skills to Zimbabwe’s youth, many of whom are being left behind by the rapidly evolving global digital economy.

Mavima also urged Zimbabweans to adopt a collective national focus on growing the macro economy, stressing the importance of production, competitiveness, and productivity.

“The fundamental one is to grow our macro economy. This demands that we focus as a nation. All hands on the deck in order to drive production. We also need to push for competitiveness and higher levels of productivity,” he added.

The latest remarks come at a time when Zimbabwe is battling rising youth unemployment, which remains a key national concern. With over 60% of the population under the age of 35, the pressure on government to provide sustainable economic opportunities continues to grow.