12/09/2026
Technology is not enough without inclusion: PSC, RCU push AI-driven development.
Technology and infrastructure are mere tools, but true legacy is defined by human inclusivity and dignity, the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Reformed Church University (RCU) have declared.
This came out strongly during a public lecture hosted by the PSC in partnership with RCU at the university’s main campus in Masvingo yesterday.
Running under the theme, “Building a legacy through inclusivity: Leveraging AI and assistive technologies,” the gathering drew participants from several tertiary institutions across the Masvingo province. Among them were Masvingo Polytechnic, Morgenster Teachers’ College, Masvingo Teachers’ College, and Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre.
The dialogue centered on reframing technology and national progress around human dignity, ensuring that persons with different abilities are fully integrated into Zimbabwe’s journey towards Vision 2030.
Addressing delegates, RCU Vice Chancellor, Professor E. Dumbu unpacked the university’s core institutional niche emphasising that infrastructure pales in comparison to social impact.
“Technology is not the legacy, inclusivity is the legacy,” Professor Dumbu said.
Drawing from the rich educational heritage of the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) , the custodian of RCU which once operated nearly two-thirds of the nation’s schools . The guest of honour Commissioner Larry Mavhima, underscored that institutional success is measured by equitable public service delivery. He noted that public systems must function fairly for every citizen, with special consideration for persons with disabilities.
Commissioner Mavhima also cautioned students and academics against uncritical technological adoptions as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital innovations reshape the national landscape. He warned that digital transformation devoid of ethical grounding and human wisdom runs the risk of exacerbating social inequalities.
“The question before us is not simply whether we can harness artificial intelligence, assistive technologies and digital innovation, but how equitably we do it,” Commissioner Mavhima noted.
The event served as a clarion call for academic and public sector institutions to transition from viewing inclusivity as a passive accommodation to recognising it as a primary driver of national innovation directly aligning with the Second Republic's developmental anchors under Vision 2030.
As RCU continues to mold the next generation of ethical leaders, the overall message remained clear, the ultimate test of any technology is not its sophistication but the number of lives it empowers to participate, contribute and flourish.
