PRINCIPLE NO. 5: Duties of custodian of public funds and Property. In terms of Section 308 (2) of the Constitution, it is the duty of every person who is responsible for the expenditure of public funds to safeguard the funds and ensure that they are spent only on legally authorised purposeS and in legally authorised amounts.
Section 308 (4) provides that an Act of Parliament and in this case, the Act must provide for the speedy detection of breaches of the law and disciplining and punishment of persons responsible for the breach. It is proposed therefore that there be an amendment to the Act to ensure that all ZIMDEF funds are used for manpower development related activities as a safeguard against abuse of funds.
PRINCIPLE NO. 6: Quality control for all tertiary, scientific and technological institutions and professional bodies: In order to achieve Vision 2030 and beyond, there is need to emphasise issues of quality control for all tertiary, scientific and technological institutions and professional bodies. In this regard we insert provisions in the Act that deal with strengthening quality control because in the mean time, there is already the issue of quality control but strengthening quality control for all tertiary, scientific and technological terrain institutions and professional bodies.
This entails that all tertiary, scientific and technological education training, registration and control of professional bodies shall be facilitated under this Act.
In addition, it must be provided in the Act that all qualifications obtained in all Higher and Tertiary Education Institutions in Zimbabwe must lead to the ability or capability to produce either goods or services for the purpose of meeting human needs through industrialisation and modernisation. This shall enable Zimbabwe to leapfrog in its development using education and training as a facilitator.
ON PRINCIPLE NO. 7: Gender balance.
Section 17 of the Constitution stipulates that the State must promote full gender balance and that the State must take all legislative measures to ensure that both genders are equally represented in all institutions and agencies of Zimbabwe. Both genders must be equally represented in all institutions and agencies of Government at every level. This principle seeks to bring into effect the right to gender balance in all boards and councils appointed in terms of this Act as stipulated in the Constitution.
PRINCIPLE 8: Supremacy of the Act on matters of manpower development and planning. The Act will be amended by making the Act prevail stronger on issues of training and education qualifications and quality. The Act is strengthened when it comes to regulating the establishment or conduct of quality by any institution of higher and tertiary learning or a professional body involved in manpower training.
PRINCIPLE 9: Strengthening Innovation, Science and Technology for Industrialisation and Modernisation. Mr. Speaker Sir, Science, Technology and Innovation are the bedrock for Zimbabwe’s capability to leapfrog and become an industrialised economy. We will strengthen the Act so that it is explicit in the promotion of Science, Technology and Innovation for the Industrialisation of Zimbabwe.
The Act is amended to give effect to the formation of the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences as an advisory body to the State on innovation, science and technology issues along the lines of other Academies such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Indian Academy of Sciences and French Academy of Sciences.
In conclusion Madam Speaker, I wish to highlight that it is envisaged that once the amendments go through, the Act will fully be aligned to the Constitution and there will be the effective management of the Institutions of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology and the parastatals that fall within the purview of the Act and professional bodies. I therefore move that the Bill be now read a second time.
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