Harare, (New Ziana) – Career guidance services are critical in helping learners make informed education and career choices while strengthening workforce readiness, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Skills Audit and Development, Rudo Chitiga, has said.
Chitiga said effective implementation of the National Career Guidance Policy would ensure that learners receive appropriate guidance and contribute to improved long-term skills and employment outcomes.
She was represented by the Ministry’s director for rural, digital and special skills development, Peter Ngorima, at a National Career Guidance Policy Implementation Workshop held in Harare.
The workshop was convened to promote the consistent and effective rollout of career guidance initiatives by translating national policy priorities into practical implementation plans across relevant levels of governance.
Chitiga said the National Career Guidance Policy, approved by Cabinet in July, marked a major step towards institutionalising structured, inclusive and future-focused career guidance services across the education and training sector.
“It is aligned with the aspirations of Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy (NDS2), and it speaks directly to our mandate of strengthening Zimbabwe’s human capital base. I must emphasize that experience has shown us that well-designed policies often stall at the implementation stage due to unclear roles, inadequate sequencing of activities, insufficient resourcing, and weak coordination,” she said.
She said the changing world of work, characterised by emerging skills requirements and increasingly dynamic labour markets, was making career decisions more complex for young people and job seekers.
“In this context, career guidance is no longer optional. It is a critical service that helps individuals understand their interests, abilities and opportunities. It supports national productivity by enabling people to align with the right pathways. The development of this National Career Guidance Policy is a significant achievement.
“We must translate broad pillars into actionable activities, assign clear institutional responsibilities, identify resource requirements and agree on monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Above all, we must secure stakeholder ownership because no single institution can deliver this policy alone,” Chitiga said.
She said implementation must take into account the diverse needs of learners and job seekers, including persons with disabilities, vulnerable youth and communities in rural and under-served areas.
Chitiga also called for a practical and evidence-based implementation roadmap that responds to Zimbabwe’s labour-market conditions and emerging skills requirements.
Stakeholders at the workshop noted the importance of exposing learners to skills mapping at an early stage to help them make informed subject choices. This is particularly relevant to the current Grade Seven cohort, which is the first to sit examinations under the Heritage-Based Curriculum.
The workshop was expected to help stakeholders clarify their respective roles and develop coordinated approaches to implementing career guidance programmes across the country.
New Ziana
