Kyambogo University has started it’s 3-day graduation ceremony today 7th December, with the faculty of Special Needs and Rehabilitation and School of Management and Entrepreneurship raising the curtain.
It threatened to rain early in the morning as lazy drizzles were starting to make the smartly dressed guardians and graduands curse underneath their breaths.
But perhaps the little rain was more of a blessing, symbolising what good day awaited them.
While everyone waited for the chief guest, Hon John Chrysostom Muyingo who represented the Minister of Education and Sports, the Vice Chancellor and the Chancellor Prof John Okedi to make it to the venue, the graduands were given an opportunity to dance in honor of the great achievement made.
They danced to “My year” by Azawi, shaking their bodies vigorously and screaming, for no one can begin to imagine the kind of joy they felt.
Continuing students from the department of Performing Arts entertained the guests through sweet instrumental performances. The music from the xylophones and flutes surely touched souls.
The Chancellor’s procession was rather impressive. Members of the Prisons Band led the procession while playing a song whose translation relates to the time the Israelites were happily leaving Egypt, the land of Slavery and heading towards Canaan, the Land of freedom.
Whether it had something to do with the graduands officially leaving campus and going into the real world or not is only a matter of deep contemplation.
Nevertheless, it was a procession befitting the very important guests of the day.
The Vice Chancellor, in his speech, was extremely proud to mention that 12,080 students are expected to graduate during this year’s ceremony and this is the biggest number of graduands ever.
285 are graduating with first class, with the best two male students having CGPA of 4.85 and the best female student, Zaitunie with 4.83. She was specially recognized and given a prestigious award.
He talked about the competitive Research grant from which about fifty staff members have benefitted and urged parents and guardians to buy gadgets for their children to aid in learning.
His speech was also inclusive of the graduate fellow Scheme which retains the best graduands with exceptionally good grades as employees of the university and later sponsors their master’s program. He raised his head high when he mentioned that most organizations and companies prefer to employ Kyambogo University graduates and he hopes that the graduands will not betray the university.
The Chaiperson of the University Council Mrs Mary Goretti urged the graduands to be men and women of integrity.
“Integrity is the greatest gift you can give to a society that has supported you,” she said.
Students from the department of Performing Arts presented another piece of entertainment, the “Ekizino,” a cultural dance of the Bakiga from South Western Uganda. The soloist with her incredible vocals sang as her dancers shook the ground and sweated.
Parents and guardians were so overjoyed and seemed more elated than the graduands themselves. They screamed and jumped whenever they heard their son’s or daughter’s name being read. Their happiness was undescribable.
Graduation is still on for another two days. Congratulations to the graduands.
