The interactive sessions took place at Njamba Secondary school in Chitawira and at Chirimba Community Day Secondary school in Chirimba township on 6th and 7th November, respectively.

This program attracted a lot of key stakeholders like the members of the academia, government officials, teachers and the local community.

According to the symposium program coordinator, Alexander Mtambo, the interactive sessions were organized in order to dispel rumors  that engineering programs are very difficult and are tailor made for males.

“Engineering programs are like other programs;everyone can do it despite one’s gender. What matters is hardworking and doing whatever you want with a passion. For instance, in our class we have few ladies but sometimes they do better than us,” Mtambo said.

In an interview with the General Secretary of the symposium organizing committee, Ashley Nkhukuzalira said they thought of interacting with senior secondary school students because it is the only  way of thanking the communities that have served them for a while  and it is one way of developing the country.

“For the country to develop, it needs educated people; this is the reason why we thought it wise to inspire these secondary school students to work hard in their studies so that they can reach another level of education either doing engineering programs or other programs,” Nkhukuzalira said.

Nkhukuzalira further said the inspirations will help these students to continue doing great in their lives.

The students from both schools had an opportunity to change their negative mindsets towards education as the Polytechnic students envoy shared their lives’ experiences from secondary education to University level. The Polytechnic students envoy encouraged the secondary school students to work extra hard  in all subjects and to put an effort in science subjects for them to study engineering programs despite their social status.

The polytechnic students envoy also awarded the most outstanding students in their studies with various items such as Instrument sets , hard-note-books, and others were given monetary prizes.