By Spy Uganda
The ‘University of You’-Victoria University has today held its 7th graduation ceremony at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds.
The event attracted thousands of graduands, and hundreds of local and international guests including the Rt Hon Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, and famous Zambian Pan-Africanist Joshua Marara Maponga among others.
Addressing the magnitudes of the congregation, Victoria University Vice Chancellor Prof Lawrence Muganga noted that his students have been fully prepared to scoop any job opportunity, be it in Uganda or abroad.
”Our graduands, if likened to merchandise, are fully prepared for delivery both within and outside the country. They are poised to confront both the familiar and the unfamiliar challenges ahead. If we were to compare them to food, they are ready to be consumed,” Muganga assured the employers.
Muganga a famous ‘tech evangelist’ didn’t forget to remind other academic institutions to pick a leaf from Victoria University and embrace technology in the day-to-day learning of their students as this is the only way they can best prepare them to fit in the current job market.
”I want to tell the public, parents, and distinguished guests that in the digital age of today, where technology is here to stay and has become an integral part of our lives, these Victoria University graduands are not just tech-savvy. Am glad to tell you that the graduates here today are empowered with all the tech-savviness you can look for in a graduate. The digital world is something we, as a university, have chosen to embrace,” noted Muganga adding;
”At Victoria University, we have taken a unique approach to ensure that our students do not just leave with credentials, but also with the practical experience necessary to thrive in the competitive job market. Furthermore, we have made it a priority to equip our students with essential digital skills.”
Muganga an impactful academician whose legacy is still celebrated in countries like Canada, emphasized to graduands that the education they have acquired at Victoria University goes beyond being a mere transcript, he said it serves as a passport, empowering them to confidently navigate the future, whether it is within or outside the country, regardless of the challenges they may encounter.
The author of the best-selling books; ‘You Can’t Make Fish Climb Trees & Authentic University’, Muganga appealed to organizations, corporate entities, and employers to consider Victoria University students as competent and capable equipped with all the required digital skills.
”At Victoria University, we have taken a unique approach to ensure that our students do not just leave with credentials, but also with the practical experience necessary to thrive in the competitive job market. Furthermore, we have made it a priority to equip our students with essential digital skills,” added Muganga.
Bishop Maponga who was the keynote speaker rallied the students against early marriages and pregnancies while still studying, which he said cripples their bright future.
He urged them to use the skills they have acquired to create a better world, noting that the knowledge they have been given should not be taken to bed but to work with the aim of impacting their mother Africa development-wise and create jobs as the only way to curb the challenge of unemployment that has hindered the continent for so long.
On his part, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament who delivered a speech of the Chief Guest Hon Minister of Education and Sports dubbed 1st Lady Janet Kataaha Museveni noted that parliament will soon have dialogue on how Ugandan education can be fine-tuned to be an education that matters.
He urged the Universities however to go beyond offering theory lectures and start emphasizing innovation and digitization.
”In this era, you find universities still buying books, in the digital era? Why don’t you partner with other institutions and have educational materials online, why should we have universities buying technology from abroad when some of our universities here have education software that can solve these learning problems,” said Tayebwa adding; ”Am extremely happy that Victoria University is focusing on innovation and technology and that’s why this University is growing at a swift speed.
Other key guests that honoured Victoria University’s graduation ceremony included the Secretary-General of the Organization of Southern Cooperation, H.E.Manssour Bin Mussallam, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Diana Atwiine, business consultant & entrepreneur Dr Maggie Kigozi, Pan African Pyramid Founding Speaker & Chairman Andrew Irumba Katusabe to mention but a few.
