Zimbabwe is set to receive $1 million from the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to support Information Communication and Technology (ICT) programmes in schools and tertiary institutions.
Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Deputy Minister Dr Godfrey Gandawa, said this in an interview from Paris, France where he is attending the 38th General Conference of UN organisation.
The $1 million is in addition to $87 000 Harare got from the organisation last month for technical assistance for capacity development in pursuit of the return of cultural properties illicitly exported to Western countries by settler colonialists.
Dr Gandawa said he met UNESCO director general, Mrs Irina Bokova, yesterday where he conveyed the country’s gratitude for its continued support in several programmes and made further requests for support in areas like broadcasting content and the recognition of Zimbabwean experts to higher levels within the organisation, among other issues.
“I appreciated the extra budgetary assistance that Zimbabwe is set to receive that is the Korean Trust-In Fund where the country is set to benefit $1million under the ICTs in education programmes,” said Dr Gandawa.
He said some of the requests he made related to the operationalisation of various sustainable development goals applying to UNESCO’s areas of competence, such as ensuring inclusive and quality education and promotion of lifelong learning for all.
“I also made requests for assistance to enable the country to implement the new curriculum, which emphasised technical and vocational education and training (T-VET), science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics (STEAM), and training of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) from early childhood development,” said Dr Gandawa.
On the recognition of Zimbabwean personnel to higher levels, Deputy Minister Gandawa pledged to submit a database of experts for UNESCO’s consideration.
In her response, Mrs Bokova directed the UNESCO regional office in Harare to look at Zimbabwe’s request since most of them fell in the organisation’s priority list.
On Monday, Dr Gandawa delivered a speech where he expressed Zimbabwe’s wish to see increased collaboration between and amongst researchers to narrow the north-south development divide that continued to widen even in the face of the entry of sustainable development goals.
“In particular, not only is the role of new and emerging technologies critical, but also the introduction of science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) school enrichment programmes, with a focus on the youth and the girl child,” said Deputy Minister Gandawa in his speech.
The meeting that started on November 3 will end on November 18, and is being attended by representatives from all of UNESCO’s Member States.
- The Herald (Zimpapers 1980 LTD)