Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Bindura, Zimbabwe – His Excellency President and Chancellor of all State Universities, Dr. Emerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, officially commissioned the Optometry and Auditory School at Bindura University of Science Education (BUSE) today while attending a graduation ceremony. This state-of-the-art facility features nine lecture rooms, a Lens Production Laboratory, and a frames repair workshop.
The Optometry and Auditory School includes a clinic open to the public, allowing students to conduct clinical assessments and training as part of their academic curriculum.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Department of Optometry, Dr. Claudio Mutuwa, emphasized the school’s ambitious vision.
“Our goal is to produce practicing optometrists in all ten provinces of Zimbabwe from BUSE Optometry and Auditory School. We accept potential students with five O’Level subjects, including Mathematics and English, as well as three A’Level passes in Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, or Biology.”
He also noted that the school has attracted regional interest, currently enrolling two students from Botswana and three from Zambia.
The Optometry and Auditory School’s Lens Production Lab can produce 1,200 pairs of lenses in just 24 hours, making BUSE the first university in Africa to implement such an innovative project. This facility enables patients at the Optometry clinic to receive prescription lenses in an hour or less, with plans for a spectacles frame production plant to be established in the future.
In addition to the Optometry and Auditory School, President Mnangagwa toured and officially opened the new Students Dining Hall, which accommodates 700 diners at the main campus.
During the graduation ceremony, a total of 2,394 graduates were celebrated, including 7 doctorate graduates, 28 postgraduate diploma recipients, 422 master’s degree holders, 1,667 undergraduate degree graduates, and 270 diploma recipients. Notably, 52% of the graduates were female, highlighting the university’s commitment to empowering women through education.
Today’s events mark a significant milestone for BUSE, enhancing its reputation as a leader in higher education and health sciences in Zimbabwe and the region.