‘Align curricular with industrial demands’ – Auditors

Mako Jerera
Earlier this week, the Public Accountancy and Auditors Board (PAAB) organised a Multi-Stakeholder Roundtable on the Accountancy Education Ecosystem in Harare.
The Forum which was running under the theme “To Align University Education with Professional Training”, sought to bring all key stakeholders to discuss issues surrounding the alignment of the accounting degree programme in Zimbabwe with professional training.
Participants exchanged views on the requirements needed to enhance global brand recognition of the accountancy profession in Zimbabwe.
The major stakeholders present at this event included the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Zimbabwe Council of Higher Education (ZIMCHE), Institute of Chartered Accountants Zimbabwe (ICAZ), Chartered Accountants Academy (CAA), Auditor General representatives, representatives from all local Universities, local Accounting & Audit firms including Deloitte, Ernest and Young and AMG global and Representatives from the law society of Zimbabwe. Also present were professional accountants in training and recently qualified professional accountants.
Speaking at the Forum, Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science Professor Amon Murwira said there is need to ensure that accountants from Zimbabwe are globally competitive.
“Under Education 5.0, Zimbabwe’s state universities must launch into outcomes-focused national development activities towards a competitive, modern and industrialized Zimbabwe by 2030. Stakeholders should embark on a journey to align University programmes with the Professional Board,” said Prof Murwira.
Prof Murwira called on all professional accountants to lead in the development and professional field, saying his Ministry is ready to support the initiatives by members within the accounting Ecosystem in producing better quality accountants.
Among the other key speakers were the Chartered Accountants Academy (CAA) CEO, Anesu Daka, CAA Managing Direct Elliot Wonenyika, who shared their experiences in teaching students especially those transitioning from universities into becoming accounting professionals.
They called on all stakeholders to have a common framework that aligns university education with professional courses as offered by institution such as the CAA.
Maud Chifamba, a newly qualified Chartered Accountant and a CAA Alumni presented an overview to the stakeholders of her recent experiences coming from a local University and having to embark on the journey of becoming a professional accountant.
She spoke on the misalignment of the local university degree programmes and professional accountancy courses and how the local universities should move to ensure that their university curriculums are aligned with professional programs and the current global standards.
“There is a huge disconnect between our local degree programmes and the profession in practice,” Chifamba said.
The Roundtable reached an agreement that local universities are lagging behind the global economy and there is a need to move at the same pace since the world is constantly changing.
It was resolved that a task force be created which includes all stakeholders within the education ecosystem to move in one direction aligning local degree programmes to global standards and ensure that the envisioned high standard is sustained.