The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) govt director, Prof Mary Okwakol, has mentioned over 7,000 college students have enrolled for Higher Education Access Programme (HEAC), rising their possibilities of pursuing diploma and diploma programs at numerous universities and diploma awarding establishments.
“In 29 institutions that have so far submitted statistics, enrolment totals 7,155 students, 44 per cent of whom are female. HEAC pathway fosters equity and inclusion by providing a second chance for marginalized and rural youth, especially young women who may never have accessed higher education,” Prof Okwakol mentioned whereas internet hosting a staff from the Forum for African Women Educationists Zimbabwe (FAWEZI), the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development of Zimbabwe, and representatives from Chinhoyi University of Technology, Midlands State University, National University of Science and know-how and Bindura University of Science and Technology that was within the nation to benchmark the programme in query, from May 4 to 9, 2026.
The staff was led by the Zimbabwe’s Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Prof Fanual Tagwira.
According to Prof Okwakol, 65 universities and 20 Other Degree Awarding Institutions (ODAIs) in Uganda are eligible to provide HEAC programme, noting that 89 programmes are at present being applied, 48 of that are science-based.
HEAC is a one-year (two-semester) bridging programme designed to present another entry route for college students who don’t meet the standard entry necessities for diploma or Diploma programmes provided by universities and different higher education establishments.
“It targets Senior Six leavers who didn’t get hold of adequate UACE grades (lower than two principal passes). It is a bridge between higher education and establishments of higher education. It caters for college students who’ve handed however haven’t handed properly sufficient for programmes of their selection. A pupil might need to provide medication however they do not qualify. If they provide that bridging programme, and carry out properly sufficient, they will afterwards pursue diploma programs,” she defined.
According to Prof Okwakol, the programme in query boosts Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) enrolment, and has performed an enormous function in rising enrolment in STEM-related programmes.
She disclosed that evaluations carried out present that graduates from HEAC programmes carry out as properly, and generally higher than conventional direct-entry college students and graduates present excessive employability inside their first 12 months of completion.
She lauded the Zimbabwean staff for their makes an attempt to study from Uganda’s expertise.
“On behalf of NCHE, I wish to sincerely appreciate your travel, time and efforts in benchmarking the work National Council for Higher Education does in respect to regulation and implementation of the HEAC pathway. It is our hope that the delegation has benefited from the visit,” she mentioned.
According to her, funding of the programme stays a problem.
“Many qualify, few access HEAC programmes. Some of those who access them drop out. Still, of those who successfully complete HEAC programmes, many fail to access higher education institutions to pursue degree or diploma programmes – all due to financial constraints,” she mentioned.
Prof Okwakol lauded FAWE-MasterCard partnership for supporting the economically deprived however vivid youth, largely ladies.
In his submission, Prof Tagwira, mentioned Zimbabwe would want to replicate Uganda’s method to enhance access to university education, look at the HEAC programme’s curriculum construction, supply strategies, pupil assist programs and gender responsive methods notably people who promote retention and success for feminine college students in Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
“We have been watching Uganda’s journey with great interests. Your Higher Education Access Certificate model, particularly as implemented at some of your university represents exactly the kind of successful practical and scalable solution we wish to adapt for Zimbabwe,” he mentioned.
The staff additionally sought to perceive Uganda’s accreditation processes, high quality assurance requirements and articulation mechanisms that enable basis programme graduates to progress seamlessly into diploma research to inform the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education.