The development of any nation hinges, among other factors, on the strength and relevance of its Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system. Zimbabwe boasts one of the most robust and respected TVET systems in Africa. The country is also recognised as one of the most literate nations on the continent, with a population that has consistently demonstrated a high capacity for learning and innovation.

For many years, Zimbabwe's education system has excelled in producing graduates who are knowledgeable, skilled, and technically competent. However, the orientation of many graduates has largely been towards seeking employment rather than creating it. One does not need extensive research to establish that Zimbabwean professionals trained through our education system, and particularly through the TVET sector, have made their mark across the globe. Our artisans, technicians, engineers, teachers, doctors, nurses, and many other professionals have contributed significantly to the development of Zimbabwe and numerous other nations. This is a legacy in which we take great pride.

Nevertheless, as Zimbabwe pursues Vision 2030 and the aspiration of becoming an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income society, an important question arises: Do we still need an education system that primarily produces graduates whose ultimate destiny is employment? How do we accelerate productivity for both domestic and international markets? How do we transform our abundant natural resources into tangible economic benefits for our people?

Zimbabwe is richly endowed with natural resources. Above us shines abundant sunlight, a free and renewable source of energy capable of sustaining our energy needs. Yet, we still experience power shortages that negatively affect industry, agriculture, and households. Beneath our soil lie vast deposits of minerals, including rare minerals that are in high demand globally. We possess fertile land, forests, wildlife, and numerous other resources that many nations envy. Why, then, are we not deriving maximum benefit from these blessings?

The answer may lie in another question: What knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values are our schools, colleges, and universities cultivating?

There is a compelling need to examine the causes of poverty in a nation endowed with such wealth of resources. Surely, we require an education system that empowers graduates to apply their knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values towards solving local challenges and driving economic development. We need an education and training system that addresses basic human needs while providing skills programmes that promote value addition and beneficiation of our natural resources. It is against this backdrop that the Government of Zimbabwe introduced the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 philosophy.

Heritage-Based Education 5.0 has the potential to become a catalyst for national transformation. It seeks to produce graduates who are solution-oriented, innovative, and capable of harnessing local resources to address local challenges. It encourages us to move beyond merely consuming knowledge to generating practical solutions that contribute to national development.

At St Peters Kubatana Industrial Training College, we have unapologetically embraced Heritage-Based Education 5.0. While the philosophy has been widely discussed in various forums, there remains a need for continued dialogue and clarification to ensure that all stakeholders fully appreciate its significance and transformative potential.

Education 5.0 emerged from the recognition that the inherited colonial education system was largely designed to produce graduates suited for formal employment within a colonial economy. Prior to Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, societal expectations reinforced this orientation. A graduate who ventured into business was often viewed with suspicion or ridicule. The common belief was that a respectable individual was one who secured formal employment. Innovation and unconventional thinking were sometimes dismissed as unrealistic pursuits. “Remember Daniel Chingoma and his helicopter”

Traditional education tended to emphasise the cognitive domain through memorisation and theoretical understanding, often at the expense of the psychomotor and affective domains. Teaching methods were predominantly teacher-centred, with educators serving as the primary source of information while learners assumed passive roles. Success became synonymous with obtaining certificates, with limited emphasis placed on utilisation of acquired competencies to improve communities and stimulate economic growth.

Heritage-Based Education 5.0 seeks to address these limitations. It advocates for a learner-centred approach that nurtures critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, and innovation. It challenges graduates not only to seek employment but also to become job creators and agents of development.