MASVINGO – The Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) is launching a campus radio station in Masvingo and the radio will be on air by August this year, Vice Chancellor Professor Rungano Zvobgo has said.Great Zimbabwe University struck a partnership with Zvishavane-based radio station Ya FM which will see students studying media getting hands on training in radio broadcasting.
He said this during a tour of the campus by the new Minister of Higher Education, Professor Amon Murwira.
He said that GZU has already been granted a radio licence and equipment procured from China among other countries.
The radio station allows students to sharpen their debating skills without resorting to fist fights, respect different opinions and discuss current affairs, said Zvobgo on Monday. GZU has a student population of 15 000.
He said that Universities world over have radio stations for academic purposes.
“The World over universities have radio stations specifically for the students to discuss common issues, current political developments and many academic issues. As a university we have acquired machinery some from as far as China and we have been granted an operating license to set up our radio station. We intend to be on air in August this year and the radio station will be housed at our building along Hellet Street,” said Prof Zvobgo.
This will probably be the first time that a university in Zimbabwe operates a radio station.
Meanwhile, the university was recently given 140 hectares by Masvingo City Council for its new campus as the old site was designated unfit because it is too close to the Great Zimbabwe Monuments which is a World heritage site.
Construction of the new campus which is adjacent to the Masvingo Teachers’ College will be done concurrently with other projects which are ongoing like the Convocational Hall for which $200 000 was raised during a fund raising dinner held last year
