The latest articles on DEV Community by Mlungisi Michael (@mlungisi_michael_bc6d7004). https://dev.to/mlungisi_michael_bc6d7004 https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4217784%2F24c7d6cc-f920-4ae6-8a32-f1663cc74391.png https://dev.to/mlungisi_michael_bc6d7004 en Mlungisi Michael Fri, 30 Oct 2026 17:51:36 +0000 https://dev.to/mlungisi_michael_bc6d7004/what-can-you-study-after-o-level-in-zimbabwe-44od https://dev.to/mlungisi_michael_bc6d7004/what-can-you-study-after-o-level-in-zimbabwe-44od <p>When O-Level results come out, the first question in most homes is the same: what happens next? There are two main roads. One is A-Level, and after it a degree. The other is a diploma or a certificate at a polytechnic or a college.</p> <p>A degree in Zimbabwe is entered after A-Level, so O-Level results alone are not enough for one. Diplomas and certificates can usually be entered from O-Level, although each institution sets its own requirements. This guide lists the 15 diploma and certificate courses currently in the Unnect Pathfinder catalogue, with how long each takes and what it costs.</p> <h2> Engineering and trades </h2> <p>Technical courses are where polytechnics are strongest. These are the engineering and trades courses in the catalogue:</p> <ul> <li> <strong>National Certificate in Fabrication Engineering (Welding)</strong> at Bulawayo Polytechnic: 2 years, tuition of USD 4,270.</li> <li> <strong>National Diploma in Electrical Power Engineering</strong> at Bulawayo Polytechnic: 3 years, tuition of USD 4,450.</li> <li> <strong>National Certificate in Electrical Power Engineering</strong> at Harare Polytechnic: 2 years, tuition of USD 4,750.</li> <li> <strong>National Diploma in Electrical Power Engineering</strong> at Harare Polytechnic: 3 years, tuition of USD 5,050.</li> <li> <strong>National Certificate in Motor Mechanics</strong> at Harare Polytechnic: 2 years, tuition of USD 4,800.</li> <li> <strong>National Certificate in Plumbing and Drain Laying</strong> at Harare Polytechnic: 2 years, tuition of USD 4,800.</li> </ul> <p>A certificate is the shorter route at 2 years. A diploma takes 3 years. Several students start with a certificate and go on to the diploma in the same field, but ask the institution how that works before you plan around it.</p> <h2> Business, computing and media </h2> <p>Harare Polytechnic also offers these courses:</p> <ul> <li> <strong>National Diploma in Accountancy</strong>: 3 years, tuition of USD 4,850.</li> <li> <strong>National Diploma in Information Technology</strong>: 3 years, tuition of USD 4,900.</li> <li> <strong>National Diploma in Mass Communication (Journalism)</strong>: 3 years, tuition of USD 4,900.</li> <li> <strong>National Certificate in Professional Cookery</strong>: 2 years, tuition of USD 4,800.</li> </ul> <p>The National Diploma in Information Technology publishes its entry requirements. It asks for Mathematics at grade C or better, at O-Level or A-Level. It also asks for one of Physics, Physical Sciences, Computer Science or Statistics at grade C or better. Check your own results against these before you apply.</p> <h2> Teaching, nursing and farming </h2> <ul> <li> <strong>Diploma in Education (Primary), General course</strong> at Morgan ZINTEC College: 3 years, tuition of USD 4,700.</li> <li> <strong>Diploma in Education (Primary), Early Childhood Development</strong> at Morgan ZINTEC College: 3 years, tuition of USD 4,700.</li> <li> <strong>Diploma in General Nursing</strong> at Parirenyatwa School of Nursing: 3 years, tuition of USD 4,200.</li> <li> <strong>Diploma in Agriculture</strong> at Gwebi Agricultural College: 3 years, tuition of USD 5,350.</li> </ul> <p>The catalogue also lists a Certificate in Basic Counselling Skills and Mental Health at Midlands State University. It does not yet show a length or a fee for that course, so ask the university.</p> <h2> What these figures are, and are not </h2> <p>Tuition for the courses above runs from USD 4,200 to USD 5,350 in the catalogue. Those figures are the catalogue's, not a quote. Fees change, and accommodation and living costs are separate, so confirm the current figure with the institution before you commit.</p> <p>Many of these courses do not yet have published entry requirements in the catalogue. Where an institution has not published them, Unnect Pathfinder says so instead of guessing. Contact the admissions office for the full requirements.</p> <h2> How to choose </h2> <ul> <li>Start from what you want to do, not from the fee. A certificate that leads to a trade you want is a better choice than a diploma you do not.</li> <li>Compare how long each course takes. Two years and three years are very different commitments.</li> <li>Check the entry requirements against your own grades, subject by subject.</li> <li>Ask whether a certificate can lead on to a diploma at the same institution.</li> </ul> <p>To see which courses your own results qualify for, <a href="https://unnectpathfinder.com/#try-results" rel="noopener noreferrer">enter your grades</a> on Unnect Pathfinder. No account is needed. You can also <a href="https://unnectpathfinder.com/explore" rel="noopener noreferrer">explore all programmes</a> in the catalogue. Unnect Pathfinder is made by Unnect Holdings, a Harare company, and is built to show you what is still missing as well as what you can apply for today.</p> <p><em>This article first appeared on <a href="https://unnectpathfinder.com/blog/what-can-you-study-after-o-level-in-zimbabwe" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unnect Pathfinder</a>. Unnect Pathfinder is a product of <a href="https://unnect.tech" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unnect Holdings</a>.</em></p> career education learning Mlungisi Michael Fri, 30 Oct 2026 17:50:27 +0000 https://dev.to/mlungisi_michael_bc6d7004/what-is-unnect-pathfinder-a-guide-for-students-2hno https://dev.to/mlungisi_michael_bc6d7004/what-is-unnect-pathfinder-a-guide-for-students-2hno <h1> What is Unnect Pathfinder? A guide for students </h1> <p>Unnect Pathfinder, also known as Zim Student Pathfinder, is a website that matches a Zimbabwean student's O-Level and A-Level results to the universities, colleges, vocational programmes and scholarships they can apply to. It also shows what is still missing, so a student knows what to work on, not just where the door is closed.</p> <p>It is made by Unnect Holdings, a company in Harare that builds data, artificial intelligence and operational software. Pathfinder is the product Unnect built for students and schools. You can read more about the company on the <a href="https://unnect.tech/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unnect Holdings home page</a>.</p> <h2> How results go in </h2> <p>Typing grades one by one is slow, so Pathfinder offers three ways to add them:</p> <ul> <li>type the grades subject by subject;</li> <li>speak them aloud;</li> <li>upload a photo of the results slip.</li> </ul> <p>Once the results are in, Pathfinder checks them against the entry rules each institution publishes and shows the programmes a student qualifies for, the ones they are close to, and what is missing for the rest.</p> <h2> Built for students without a phone </h2> <p>Not every learner has a phone or internet access of their own. Pathfinder includes a school-based route for exactly that case. Teachers can submit results for learners, so a student does not have to own a device to be matched to opportunities.</p> <h2> Who it is for </h2> <p>Pathfinder is for students at school who want to know what their results qualify for, for students already at university who want work and a stronger CV, and for the parents and teachers who help them decide. A teacher can use the school route to submit results for a class, and a parent can sit with a student and see the same list of options.</p> <h2> What a match means </h2> <p>A match is a comparison of your results with an institution's published entry rules. It tells you whether you meet those rules today, how close you are if you do not, and which requirement is missing. The decision to admit a student always belongs to the institution, so use Pathfinder to plan and to ask better questions, then confirm with the institution before you apply.</p> <h2> What it offers university students </h2> <p>Students already at university get a different set of tools:</p> <ul> <li>a job and internship board;</li> <li>a CV review that scores each section and lists what is missing;</li> <li>tailored CVs, cover letters and application emails drafted from the student's own CV;</li> <li>ratings of employers by students.</li> </ul> <h2> What it offers everyone </h2> <ul> <li>an AI study tutor with a free daily allowance;</li> <li>scholarship search and an application assistant;</li> <li>ratings of schools by their own students;</li> <li>a community feed.</li> </ul> <h2> A rule we keep to </h2> <p>Entry rules come from what each institution publishes. Where an institution publishes none, Pathfinder says so instead of guessing. That is deliberate. A confident wrong answer about whether you qualify can cost a student a year, and an honest "not published yet" costs nothing.</p> <h2> Try it </h2> <p>You can see what your own results qualify for on the <a href="https://unnectpathfinder.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unnect Pathfinder website</a>, without making an account. If you are a school or an organisation and want to work with us, <a href="https://unnect.tech/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer">get in touch</a>. Unnect Holdings is at 163 Union Avenue, Harare, and you can write to <a href="mailto:info@unnect.tech">info@unnect.tech</a>.</p> <p><em>This article first appeared on <a href="https://unnect.tech/blog/what-is-unnect-pathfinder" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unnect Holdings</a>. Unnect Pathfinder is a product of <a href="https://unnect.tech" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unnect Holdings</a>.</em></p> beginners career education