CIVIC EDUCATION . DEPARTMENT
The Department of Civic Education was formed in 2003 with an initiative to educate Zimbabwean citizens on the need to contribute to the development of the country by fostering national pride and identity as well as contributing to the socio-economic well-being of the country. It also seeks to educate students on the need to preserve the country’s heritage and resources. The department oversees the teaching of the National and Strategic Studies (NASS) and Entrepreneurship Skills Development (ESD) which are compulsory courses offered in collaboration with all academic departments at Harare Polytechnic.
Departmental Activities and Programs
1. Educational Tours - Chimoio Shrine
During the course of the 2014 academic year, the department came up with partnerships aimed to make the department more visible and its operations more effective. These included field-based trips to liberation war shrines in Zambia and collaboration with the ZANU-PF department of gender and culture and National Museums in a project to renovate Chimoio shrines in Mozambique.
2. Clean up campaigns
This was also a platform to raise funds and collect donations for Tokwe Mukosi flood victims. The donations were handed over to the Tokwe Murkosi community. Another clean-up campaign was held in the Central Business District in line with the theme of the 2014 Carnival. This was conducted in partnership with the City of Harare and Miracle Missions. The clean-up campaign culminated with the HOD and Principal being invited to the Carnival opening Dinner at the Harare International Conference Centre. Miracle Missions recommended that 18 female students attend short courses in various trades at the institution. The Environmental Management Agency expressed interest in working with the department in spearheading Environmental awareness campaigns and workshops. An environmental club was established at the institution to spearhead awareness campaigns with the HOD as its patron.
` The department initiated the polytechnic’s participation in Entrepreneurship EXPOs which were instrumental in showcasing the institution’s entrepreneurship drive. A local company, EMPRETEC expressed interest in partnering with the department in tapping students’ business potential. Traditional partners such as the Parliament of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Heritage Trust worked together with the department in ensuring students understand practical aspects of the NASS and ESD Syllabuses. The department successfully coordinated the maiden Africa Day celebration, which is set to become a permanent feature on the institutional calendar.