Harare (New Ziana)-President Emmerson Mnangagwa who is also the Chancellor of the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) on Friday conferred degrees to 709 graduands across the institution’s five schools.

The university has five schools namely the School of Engineering and Technology, School of Industrial Sciences and Technology, School of Information Science and Technology, School of Health Sciences, and the School of Business and Management Sciences.

Of the total number of graduands,  649 attained undergraduate degrees while 57 were awarded Master of Technology degrees and three received post graduate diplomas.

Before capping the graduands at the 14th HIT graduation ceremony, President Mnangagwa toured the institution’s Innovation Hub, where he commissioned the Tram-Urban Mass Transportation System Proof of Concept and Research Centre.

He expressed satisfaction with the TRAM project, which is a product of the country’s education 5.0 model, and is expected to complement the country’s mass transportation system.

“I am impressed with what I saw today. It speaks to our vision as a government and what the education 5.0 model can do in finding home grown solutions to not only the transport situation in the country, but other challenges as well therefore driving the country forward,” said President Mnangagwa.

Commenting on the project, HIT vice chancellor Prof Quinton Kanhukamwe said all the components of the TRAM system were designed and developed by HIT scientists, engineers and technicians in line with the government’s thrust to modernize and industrialize the country.

“The Tram is testament of the government’s aspirations towards education 5.0 for finding solutions to the country’s mass transport challenges.

“It’s a system that we hope will complement urban mass transportation system,” he said.

Prof Kanhukamwe expressed optimism that HIT will be able to set up a manufacturing plant for the mobile train and railway system.

New Ziana