Our Repoter
Bliss, cheer and delight was on Saturday seen while Islamic University in Uganda marked its 21st graduation ceremony at its main campus in Nkoma, Mbale. Ecstatic students from all the universities four campuses, that is; Main, Arua Campus, Kampala(Kibuli) and Kabojja(females only) together with their parents turned up for the event.
Up from last year’s 1856 students with 55% male and 45% female, over 2000 students from various countries in not only the region but continent as well for example Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zanzibar, Nigeria, Sudanese and so on, were awarded postgraduate (masters), postgraduate (diplomas), Certificates, undergraduate and post graduate degrees with a total of 1143 males and 853 females. Two honorary doctorates in law were awarded to Alhaji Ali Kivejinja and a one Burundi national, Muhammad Rukara at a function that commenced at 10:00am almost an hour late from the scheduled time.
Also, in attendance was the Secretary General of the Organization for Islamic Council (OIC), Mr. Iyad bin Madani, the Education and Sports minister, Hon Jessica Alupo, several government officials, university staff and parents to the candidates. The host, the Rector (equivalent of Vice chancellor) at early minutes of noon, read the number of graduands. He highlighted some of the universities achievements and strategy that built-in a health programme that includes starting up a Barchelor of Medicine course to be hosted at the Kampala campus in Kibuli. He also thanked the guild ship for winning at national level (UNSA) and his most thrilling and exhilarating revelation to the crowd was the fact that the University Council had agreed on a biannual graduation ceremony at the start and end of each year. This means students currently in their final year of study will graduate this November.
Later in the afternoon, the guest of honour, Jessica Alupo who represented the president YK Museveni read the latter’s speech in which he thanked the university for promoting higher education, producing students with good ethical behaviour and emphasized that the NRM government not only promotes higher education but university access too through the University Loan Scheme starting soon. He thanked the OIC for setting up the university but promised to support it if it too does so to the government through healthy programs, one-way of reducing poverty. He thanked the University for collaborating with the current regime in their policy of empowering women after the startup of the Females campus at Kabojja, Kampala and finalized saying that the university will be the best in Uganda in 10-years’ time if it collaborates with the current government.
Later in the afternoon, the Vice Rector Academics called upon the Deans of various faculties to read the names of the graduands as students with shining eyes and dazzling smiles expressed their ecstasy in form of hugs, pecks ululations for close to two hours before making off to their respective after party venues ranging from home arranged to hotspots around town ready to dusk until dawn.
What happened where? The good, bad and ugly will be on in Part II of this. Watch out for the shocking revelations! We are Campusbee!
