New Chapter for Women Learners as Zimbabwe Open University and Female Student Network Seal Historic Accord
Shared Commitment: ZOU Vice Chancellor Prof. Emeritus Paul Henry Gundani and FSN Executive Director Ms. Everjoice Munando officially display the landmark agreement aimed at bolstering support and safety for female students at the ZOU National Centre in Harare.
Behind the quiet resolve of thousands of women balancing tertiary education with motherhood, careers, and community care lies a common goal: to learn in spaces that are safe, equitable, and empowering. On Friday, August 21, 2026, that goal found powerful institutional backing at the Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) National Centre Boardroom, where university leadership and the Female Student Network (FSN) formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to safeguard and champion female students.
The ceremony, which began under the direction of Acting Director of Corporate Communication and Marketing Mr. T. Kurwa, brought together senior academics, student representatives, and gender advocates. Following an opening prayer and introductions by Mr Kurwa and FSN Programs Manager Ms. M. Biriwasha, the room shifted focus toward the human story behind the statistics.
Speaking to the gathered delegates, ZOU Vice Chancellor Professor Emeritus Paul Henry Gundani emphasized that university life must extend beyond textbook learning.
“Female students in particular may face unique challenges that can affect their participation, progress, retention, and successful completion of studies,” Vice Chancellor Gundani observed, noting that true empowerment requires a compassionate look at the physical, emotional, and social realities women navigate daily. “Today is more than a signing ceremony. It represents a shared commitment… to advancing the rights, wellbeing, dignity, empowerment, and the success of female students.”
A Unified Front: Delegates from the Zimbabwe Open University executive team, the Female Student Network board, and student leaders gather following the MoU signing ceremony on August 21, 2026.
The alliance directly addresses pressing issues facing women in higher education, establishing structured collaboration in leadership development, psychosocial support, career mentoring, and the active prevention of gender-based violence.
For FSN Executive Director Ms. Everjoice Munando, the accord marks a crucial step forward for non-traditional students who rely on distance learning.
“This partnership speaks directly to transformed, inclusive, and equitable academic spaces, free from discrimination and gender bias,” Ms. Munando said, directly addressing the student body. “To our female students: this MoU is for you.”
“This MoU is for you”: FSN Executive Director Ms. Everjoice Munando addresses the audience on creating safer, gender-responsive learning spaces for distance-education students.
The formal signing was coordinated alongside Dr. T. Kasuso, Acting Manager of Legal, Partnerships & International Affairs, before Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Professor E.Z. Nyakatawa delivered the vote of thanks. Both institutions reaffirmed that the ceremony marks not a conclusion, but the beginning of hands-on interventions across ZOU’s learning centers nationwide.
ZOU/FSN MoU Signing Gallery
