Prof Moyo also highlighted on the ongoing drive to transform teachers’ colleges into degree -awarding institutions and cited Morgenster Teachers’ College, Bondolfi in Masvingo and Nyadire teachers’ colleges in Mashonaland East as potential beneficiaries.
“In a special way, Morgenster Teachers’ College’s contribution to the achievement and growth of teacher education in Zimbabwe is an important footnote to the pivotal role played by the church in Zimbabwe’s teacher education before and after independence in 1980,” said Prof Moyo
“On its part, Morgenster Teachers College under the exemplary guidance the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) has trained 14 405 teachers in its history. This represents 8,6 percent of the 168 224 teachers trained in the country. It is a matter of pride to note that this college is the oldest tertiary institution in the country having been established in 1902,” said Prof Moyo.
He said the college is a pioneering tertiary institution in the administration of the T4 teachers’ preparation programme.
“The T4 as some will recall here was a lower primary teachers’ certificate equivalent to the Early Childhood Development programme.
“The college also established the care giver infant toddler programme for ECD students and opened ECD centres for the less privileged at Mutimurefu Prison, Alpha Cottages and other rural areas in Masvingo.”
He said some of the illustrious Zimbabweans such as Minister of State for Liaison on Psychomotor Activities in Education Senator Josiah Hungwe, Chief Mugabe, the late Cde Jonas Zvobgo, an educationist and father to the late Dr Jonas Zvobgo and Prof Rungano Zvobgo, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Great Zimbabwe University, graduated from the institution.