Nyatsime College is widening its focus on practical skills, garment manufacturing and entrepreneurship, aiming to prepare learners for employment and self-reliance beyond the classroom.
The college showcased its garment factory and vocational initiatives during its prize-giving day and the reopening of its renovated boys’ boarding house, underscoring the link between education, production and enterprise.
Principal Shepherd Masaraure said the college is pursuing academic excellence alongside its vocational drive. He reported an Ordinary Level pass rate of about 99 percent in 2025 and a 100 percent Advanced Level pass rate for the third consecutive year. The college wants to lift its Ordinary Level rate to 100 percent while holding its Advanced Level results.
Masaraure also cited the college’s reported recognition at the 2025 Honorable Cabinet Summit Awards and the 2026 Africa World of Fame Masters of Masters Awards, pointing to achievements in vocational training, holistic education, heritage preservation and leadership development.
Glytime Foods chief executive officer Lesley Marange was guest speaker. He urged young people to build discipline, pursue their talents and take charge of their futures.
Drawing on his own childhood, Marange said he discovered his talent for cooking at seven and was encouraged by his mother to nurture it. Recalling a note she wrote him as he approached Form One, he said: “My son, follow your dream.”
He called on learners to shun drug abuse, take their responsibilities seriously and embrace entrepreneurship, vocational training and sport.
“As the future leaders and contributors to our nation, young people must recognise that their choices, attitudes and actions will influence not only their personal success but also the country’s development,” he said.
He added that hard work, practical skills and the values of Ubuntu could help young people create their own opportunities and contribute to national development.
Mrs P. Munjoma, who heads the garment factory, said it mainly produces garments for the college’s students and staff, while also taking orders from external schools, corporate organisations and other clients.
“Most of what we make is made under this roof,” Munjoma said. She explained that the factory is still expanding its capacity and occasionally outsources items it cannot yet make.
Established in 2022, the factory has built production systems that let staff plan workloads, manage external orders and meet deadlines for the college’s principal stakeholders.
It also supports practical learning by hosting tertiary-level students on industrial attachments. Production is handled by college employees, but students are exposed to industrial processes and guided by experienced workers.
Fashion and fabrics students benefit from the facility, while agriculture learners can trace the path from crops such as cotton to textile manufacturing. Business and economics students gain insight into production planning, commercial operations and enterprise management.
A fashion showcase during the event displayed garments made at the factory, including uniforms and industrial wear.
The factory sits within a wider practical education model that includes agricultural projects. J.T. Muguwe said the college runs several Education 5.0 initiatives, among them poultry production, beef cattle farming and gardening.
He said students manage these projects alongside their teachers, gaining hands-on experience while contributing to food production for the school community.
The college has also set up an irrigation project for potatoes and vegetables. Muguwe said ground had been prepared for further market gardening as the rainy season approached.
Plans are under way for a skills hub that would bring together the college’s production activities and strengthen practical training. Muguwe said the institution wants learners to leave school equipped to be self-sufficient.
He added that administrators had attended workshops and conferences on artificial intelligence, with the aim of bringing relevant knowledge into classroom teaching, particularly in science subjects.
The college is also working to improve infrastructure, including roads, hostels and classrooms.
The prize-giving day featured performances by the school choir and a traditional dance group, reflecting the college’s commitment to cultural expression alongside formal learning.
Through the garment factory, agricultural projects and the planned skills hub, Nyatsime College is seeking to tie education more closely to productive work, helping learners prepare for further study, employment and self-employment.
One more point: my earlier note about the “Glytime” spelling was muddled. The spelling is the same in your original and my edit, so I changed nothing there, but please still confirm it against your notes.
