MATHEWS NDANDULA writes
TEXILA American University (TAU) Zambia has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ZACCI) aimed at fostering a robust public private partnership which ensures economic participation and enterprise growth in providing quality education.
The partnership is expected to contribute to Zambia’s development through provision of adequately skilled manpower into the country’s workforce.
ZACCI president Dr Chanukah Kawesha in his key note speech highlighted importance of the MOU as in equipping students with practical knowledge.
“This function, symbolizing our future intent all further in our working relationship as captains of industry and with yourselves and Texila American University, in Zambia it is said knowledge is power therefore it is at the centre of promoting the realization of any growth that we will require today we enter into this MOU with a desire to contribute to the development and sustenance of the wellbeing of our country by ensuring that we expose the programmes and education initiatives to the community at large,” he said.
“I am informed that the purpose of this MOU is to collaborate on several education project initiatives including the mentorship programmes to the registered corporate and associate members of the chamber, ZCCA itself and its district chambers to build future talent pipelines in the current in the country with both technical and commercial competences and to use this platform for facilitating and managing creative innovative initiatives across all sectors of our economy with the aim of building an industry ready graduate,” Dr Kawesha said.
“I am further told it will help to enrich the training process and to develop human resource across many cities and for this drive we do expect it to have a significant drive on social impact investment within our country.
And TAU deputy Vic chancellor at texila American University Dr Vijaya Kumar Rajarathinam said there is need for Zambia to invest in education sector as that will spar th3 country economic growth.
“The country has very few institutions of learning offering world class education All this is happening while there is population growth coupled with the growing population of high school leavers like that it’s not enough there is a shortage of qualified managers with the right skills if you do manage multibillion dollar companies people end up looking for overseas University opportunities to get international degrees in education.
“Sadly many instances the education provided doesn’t quite fit into the Zambian context because it lacks understanding of Zambia’s economic and business environment you will agree with me that of chains what works in India doesn’t work with in the United States of America and what could be success strategy in the United Kingdom might not work in Zambia so it’s more obvious that sends investors in education sector to establish private institutions that can cut across all education levels a limit for Zambian environment that is the gap we as Texila American University are striving to bridge,” said the vice chancellor.
The MOU has been signed with the objective to contribute to the development and sustenance of the well-being of the people of Zambia by presenting training courses which enhance the performance of the commercial sectors in various fields