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LIRA

The commissioner of University education in the ministry of education and sports, Timothy Ssejjoba has called upon graduates at Lira University to navigate and make a significant impact to the society and build a better World.

Presiding over the graduation ceremony of 400 students on Friday 19^th Jan, at the University, Ssejjoba said they should not be proud of witnessing the end of their education journey but also look at the challenges that lays ahead of them.

“Each one of you has a potential to create an impact on society having graduated now because you are seen as the uptake of the future because education has equipped you with necessary tools to build a better World,” he said.

The students graduated with masters, bachelor degrees as well as post-graduate diplomas in business administration, public administration and management, public health bachelor of science in midwifery, community psychology and psychotherapy among others.

“With this rapidly changing of the World which we live in and has become hard to penetrate. Education becomes increasingly critical. It is not merely acquiring facts and figures but about developing critical thinking, fostering creativity and instilling a sense of responsibility towards our community and the Planet as well,” he says.

He added that education has armed them not just at building the mind with knowledge but ability to think critically and to solve complex problems individually, socially and internationally.

The University`s chancellor, Justice Dr Benjamin Odoki lauded President Yoweri Museveni for transforming the education sector in Uganda.

He also honored the First Lady and the minister of education and sports, Janet Museveni for her commitment in the sector.

He noted that there is an increase of 10% compared to the previous graduation figures which indicates that there is steady enrollment in the public University.

Sh5b needed for research

He also noted that the University has been expanding which has resulted to new lecture rooms for teaching and research but still there is need to support the construction of an administration block to house the University management.

The contract was awarded to BMK group in 2018 at the cost of sh16.6billion and it was supposed to be delivered after 36 months but during his speech Odoki didn’t disclose the circumstances surrounding the completion of the administration block.

He said the have secured a new contractor, National Enterprise Corporation and had signed a contract to complete the building and they are calling upon President Museveni to fulfil his pledge of sh12b to support the construction.

He also called upon the government to increase its budget on research and innovation in the next financial year to sh5 billion since they are emerging as the other youngest University in the land.

“I can assure you that this money will do wonders for the country in producing our next primary innovators and business state up since we are in the era of socio-economic transformation and the University must make visible and credible contributions to support the process,” he adds.

Graduates speak

Kole resident district commissioner, Josephine Omara Olili who graduated with bachelor degree in public administration says the World is moving at faster rate as far as education is concerned and there is need to double the speed.

“We also need to double our speed by being faster to ensure that we catch it through education,” she says.

She urged her colleagues to go back and study because education doesn’t consider the egg, time and the period spent outside.

She appreciated the government for offering an enabling environment by providing the necessary facilities for everyone to study.

Oscar Akaki, who graduated with bachelor of science in public health says he was extremely very excited because he had been struggling to pursue the course for three solid years and through God`s mercy, he has completed it.

He pledged that with the level of education he has attained, he was ready to save life and work for the people of this country.

Quinto Okello, another graduate of Bachelor of Science in midwifery, says his dream was to join the profession and be part of the struggle to reduce maternal death in the country.

Prisca Agweng, equipped with a bachelor degree in community psychology and psychotherapy urged the youth to struggle because education is the key and if you have paper you will never fail in life or fail to get a job.

He added that some people say that nowadays if you study there is no job but I want people to know that you don’t go to school only to get a job but to learn and grow in mind.