Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic is a two prolonged institution which offers Teaching and Technical courses. The Polytechnic started as Gwanda Zintec College in 1981. Its mandate at the time was to train ‘O‘Level holders who were doing temporary teaching, on the Zimbabwe Integrated National Teacher Education Course (ZINTEC) model.

Gwanda Zintec College was renamed Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic in 2003 in recognition of one of Africa’s luminaries and founding fathers of Zimbabwe, the late Vice President, Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo. The Polytechnic feels honoured and, indeed, inspired to carry his name as its flagship. In 2003, the idea of establishing a Technical wing was mooted and agreed upon, followed by recruitment of lecturing staff in May. Enrolment of students for the Technical wing took place later in the same year and lectures began in earnest in January 2004, giving birth to the current status of the Polytechnic, a two–in-one institution with the faculties of Teacher and Technical Education. This has made the College to be a unique one in Zimbabwe as it trains both teachers and technicians.

The Teacher Education Faculty offers the Diploma in Education (Primary) General, Diploma in Education (Secondary) General and Early Childhood Development (ECD) courses.

The Technical Education Faculty, on the other hand, offers Full Time, Part Time, Block Release and Short Courses in Applied Sciences, Commerce and Engineering.