NORTEC WINS MUSHIMBA’S HEART

SIMON MUNTEMBA writes

@SunZambian

GOVERNMENT has praised the Northern Technical College (NORTEC) management for introducing modern teaching equipment to be abreast with the trends in industry. 

Minister of Higher Education Brian Mushimba expressed gratitude that the institution had not waited for Government’s intervention in procuring new equipment.

It had had found ways to bring in new technologies in response to the desires and needs of its students.

Mr Mushimba said it was gratifying to note the institution had positioned itself to play a major role in the vocational, technologist and entrepreneurial realms for years to come.

According to NORTEC liaison officer Rebecca Chipanta, Dr Mushimba was speaking during his second familiarisation tour of the college on Thursday last week.

Dr Mushimba, who was impressed with the development, pledged Government’s support to the institution by opening more doors for partnerships with it coming on board through the Skills Development Fund to which the industry contributed.

“You are doing a lot. That is admirable and I am happy that industry is coming on board working with you recognising the importance and relevance of NORTEC. We hope many more can come on board to ensure that the relevance of the people that you graduate to them as industry starts at this level that you collaborate and put resources together to ensure that what they desire is what you produce because you will have started this journey together,” Dr Mushimba said.

He said with the evolution of the college over time with the introduction of more courses and its relevance in the country, there was need to look at transitioning to a university to bridge the gap between technologists and degree holders.

He said the Ministry of Higher Education was looking at the introduction of Level 10 qualifications which would allow NORTEC to provide Bachelors and Master’s Degree programmes up to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) level along the vocation training path.

Dr Mushimba said that was because of the hands-on shop floor type of training which was very different and unique from the regular universities such as Copperbelt University CBU or University of Zambia with the focus being on support in infrastructure development.

Dr Mushimba said the ministry was aware of the ceiling for technologists who had challenges advancing in their careers due to lack of institutions offering such courses at a higher level forcing them to take different career paths.

He said there was a need for the ministry to focus on the amendment that would allow institutions such as NORTEC to grow and offer teaching.

NORTEC liaison officer Rebecca Chipanta said a fortnight ago, during his first familiarisation tour of NORTEC, Dr Mushimba pledged to help repossess a piece of land belonging to the college.

Ms Chipanta said the piece of land was sold to a named businessman by the council with title deeds issued by the Ministry of Lands.

But Dr Mushimba assured the institution that his ministry was working on supporting institutions without titles acquire deeds to their land.

He said he would h ensure that the land in question was repossessed.

Once higher learning institutions acquired title deeds they would be more creative in raising resources.

He said he was having discussions with relevant ministries to ensure that title deeds were issued to NORTEC while the businessman would be given a plot elsewhere.

“I committed myself to looking into this matter where a named businessman was given a piece of land belonging to NORTEC. Those conversations are happening in the ministry to make sure that the council can reassign this individual a new piece of land and those titles that they gave him can be cancelled and titles issued to NORTEC who are the rightful owners,” he said.