Ellen Mlambo
MIRROR REPORTER

MASVINGO–Several unique and Value Addition design projects by engineering students at Masvingo Polytechnic have won the College US$10 000 at the inaugural Presidential Innovation Fair Awards ceremony held at a Harare hotel recently.
The College won the Best Innovating Polytechnic Award, with the first runner-up and second runner-up being Mutare Poly and Harare Poly, which won US$5 000 and US$2 000.

The awards fell into 17 categories that started this year to support Education 5.0, classifying universities as the key drivers of industrialisation. Fourteen Universities, nine Polytechnic colleges, seven teachers’ and four industrial training colleges attended the event.
The awards organised by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation Science and Technology Development were held from April 19-20, 2023. The event was accompanied by an exhibition, and a panel of six adjudicators judged the projects.

The event was officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Professor Amon Murwira, University Vice Chancellors, College Principals and other dignitaries attended the fair.
President Mnangagwa handed the prize to the Poly’s Principal, Engineer Callisto Muzongondi.
Engineer Muzongondi confirmed the prize sponsored by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education.

Masvingo Poly was established in 1987 and is famous for its innovative projects. Its thrust has become even more critical today after the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education introduced Education 5.0.
Masvingo Poly projects that won the judges’ eye included the repairing of the Rutenga Amarula juice processing plant for the National Biotechnology Authority (NBA), the design of a Pulper for the juice processing plant, the design and building of the Mutare Baobab Juice Plant, design and building of Jatropha processing plant in Mutoko, design and construction of Chirumhanzu community hall and the completion of a GZU grain processing plant among other projects.
“We are delighted that we won the well-deserved award at the inaugural Presidential Innovation Fair awards ceremony. Winning an award at an inaugural event is not a mean task. I want to thank my staff members for the teamwork,” he added.

The biggest prize of the event, the Grand Presidential Innovation of the Year Award, went to Verify Engineering for the VE Gases project. They walked away with US$50 000 and a trophy.
Masvingo Polytechnic vice principal Christopher Mudzingwa said the institution has been able to adopt the need for industrialisation and innovation and put it into practice.
The College has an enrolment of 2 754 students; 1587 males and 1 167 females.
The six adjudicators went around institutions assessing innovations and various projects and submitted their findings to a team of reviewers.