Speaker Oboth tasks graduates with turning skills into jobs, enterprises

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The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth, has challenged Ugandan graduates to look beyond academic qualifications and focus on practical skills, innovation, integrity and enterprise as they prepare to enter an increasingly competitive job market.

"Obtaining certificates and diplomas should not be viewed as the end of their education, but as a foundation for applying knowledge to real-life challenges.

Today you receive a certificate; tomorrow the world will ask what you can do with it. Education must therefore give us more than documents. It must give us skills, character and the courage to create opportunities,” Oboth said.

He was on Friday, August 21, addressing the congregation at the 16th graduation ceremony of Makerere Business Institute (MBI) in Makerere, Kampala.

Oboth stressed that Uganda’s education system must respond to the changing demands of the economy by producing young people who can create solutions, rather than relying solely on formal employment.

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth, arriving at Makerere Business Institute (MBI) for the 16th graduation ceremony. (Courtesy photo)

He encouraged the graduates to embrace technology and innovation while maintaining the human qualities required to succeed in the workplace and society.

“Artificial intelligence will transform the workplace, but it will never replace character, judgment and integrity,” he said.

The Speaker also urged the graduates to use their training to establish enterprises, create employment and address challenges within their communities.

The rapid growth of technology, he said, should not make young people lose sight of values such as honesty, discipline, responsibility and compassion.

He drew attention to the challenges confronting orphans and other vulnerable children, including school dropout, teenage pregnancy and early marriage, child labour, drug abuse and mental health difficulties.

He said Parliament remained committed to advocating policies and interventions that would help vulnerable children remain in school and gain access to skills and economic opportunities.

Keeping vulnerable children within the education system, he added, was not only a social responsibility but also an investment in Uganda’s future human capital.

He also addressed concerns raised by private education institutions over the cost of operations, including taxation, utilities, internet services and infrastructure development.

The Speaker assured education providers that Parliament would continue advocating for a policy environment that supports affordable and quality education while enabling private institutions to operate sustainably.

He congratulated the management, staff and founders of MBI for sustaining the institution over the past 33 years and contributing to the training of Ugandans in different fields.

 “Your qualification is not a destination; it is a launch pad. Go out there and make your education count for God and for your country,” he told the graduates.

A total of 564 students graduated during this year’s ceremony with certificates and diplomas in journalism, information, communication and technology (ICT), business and finance.

The ceremony also marked 33 years of the institution’s contribution to skills development and was, among others, graced by Prof. Mondo Kagonyera, former Chancellor of Makerere University.

The institution, which offers programmes in business, ICT, journalism and vocational disciplines, was founded in 1993 by Nathan Itungo, the current Member of Parliament for Kashari South.

The Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Marksons Oboth, flanked by Prof. Kagonyera (L) and Hon. Dan Itungo (R), pose for a photo with other stakeholders during the 16th graduation ceremony of Makerere Business Institute (MBI) in Makerere, Kampala. (Courtesy photo)

Hajjat Madina Nsereko Ntale, the Member of Parliament for Kawempe Division South, also urged the graduates to embrace hard work, discipline and self-reliance as they transition from school to the world of work.

Nsereko said young people should take advantage of government programmes aimed at supporting household income and enterprise development instead of waiting indefinitely for formal employment.

She cited the Parish Development Model (PDM) as one of the initiatives through which young people and communities can access opportunities for wealth creation.

The legislator urged the government to treat young people as partners in implementing such programmes and called on graduates to make productive use of available resources.

She challenged the graduates to shift from a job-seeking mindset to one focused on enterprise and employment creation.

“Do not spend all your time looking for jobs. Look at the opportunities available to you, including the sh1m PDM SACCO funding, and use such opportunities to start viable enterprises,” she said.

Nsereko said graduates equipped with business, ICT, journalism and vocational skills could contribute significantly to the economy if they were supported to turn their knowledge into productive ventures.