City of Harare School of Excellence historic gradu...

City of Harare School of Excellence historic graduation set for Monday

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Bridget Mabanda

The City of Harare has said at least 49 students will on Monday, February 20, graduate with Executive Diplomas in Local Government and Administration courtesy of the council's School of Excellence’s partnership with Zimbabwe Open University.

The historic event is set for February 20 at the Harare International Conference Centre.

Mr Stewart Mungofa, the city’s Talent Development manager, said the city has entered into various partnerships with institutions of higher learning.

“We have entered into a partnership with Zimbabwe Open University, Domboshava College of Local Government and Harare Institute of Technology. Negotiations for partnership agreements with National University for Science and Technology and University of Zimbabwe are at advanced stages,” he said.

He said other partnerships are with Institute of Credit Management for a Credit Management Diploma and Seke Teachers’ College where 14 Council workers are doing Early Childhood Development Studies and are due to graduate this year.

Eighty graduate trainees in 2020 were certificated by ZOU in local government studies while 28 employees are doing the paralegal program.

“All these initiatives are meant to augment skills development in the City of Harare. Council approved the establishment of the School of Excellence through a Council Resolution made in July 2019.

"Calls for applicants were then made for the Executive Diploma in Local Government and Administration," he added.

According to the City of Harare, on August 17, 2017, council approved the partnership arrangement between City of Harare and Zimbabwe Open University, leading to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in May 2019 adding that 84 applicants were accepted to study in the School of Excellence.

He added that the City of Harare as a hub of research also established an online journal.

“We have published two Research journals to date and a third is due by March 2023. We have established a web link and we are going to have a cloud account for both the School and the Journal by end of March. The intention is to lay the groundwork for the establishment of a Research and Innovation hub," he said.

Upcoming courses include PHDs in different disciplines, Certificate in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Innovation and Business Management for both top management and other employees, Project Management, Finance for non-finance people and gender issues.

The School of Excellence in Local Government and Administration is the first in Zimbabwe and Southern Africa and second only to Nigeria in Africa.