12 Oct 2014

President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama has urged the 2014 graduates of the University of Botswana (UB) and the Botswana College of Agriculture (BCA) to use education as a pillar of development.

A message read to the graduates by UB vice chancellor, Professor Thabo Fako from President Khama underscored that education remained a priority for the government.

President Khama said in the national spirit of self-reliance and development, government would continue its endeavours through various schemes, to create employment opportunities.

He said government would continue to encourage, nurture and support innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

The 32^nd joined graduation of UB and BCA had a total of 4 025 students, 3 704 from UB and 321 from BCA.

For his part, Professor Fako said the university had made major strides and developments since its inception. 

“I have no doubt that our chancellor, Sir Ketumile Masire, who had the honour and pleasure of performing the formal inauguration of the University of Botswana on October 23 1982, is proud to be a significant part of this wonderful history,” said Professor Fako.

With an enrolment of 18  176 students, UB is a community with a population that is bigger than that of many villages, he said.

Professor Fako indicated that UB continues to contribute to the national ideas of an educated, enlightened and informed society. 

Compared to the 3 076 that graduated last year, there are 4 025 in the class of 2014. 

These include 13 who have achieved the highest qualification of Doctorate (PHD).

The class of 2014 also includes a valedictorian award for the best student, who is from the very first group of students to study medicine at UB, Mr Molatedi Lesiamang.

Another milestone was reached in the development of the university, with the graduation of the first ever medical doctors this year, the School of Medicine was upgraded to the Faculty of Medicine. 

Giving a keynote address, Kgosi Puso of Batlokwa said graduation marks the completion of a process and similarly marks a move into another step in one’s life. 

Kgosi Puso said that the day was a celebration of a life time gift - education. “Education is a life time investment into one’s future and a life time investment that no one can take away from you. This investment unlocks windows of opportunities, which if well exploited can catapult your life to greater heights.”

Although Botswana, like other countries is faced with the challenge of youth unemployment, Kgosi Puso urged the students to challenge themselves to be more dynamic, to think outside the box and employ strategies that could enable them to assist government with ingenuity on issues of employment creation. 

He encouraged graduates to exploit available opportunities and turn them into prospects that can work best for them and the country. 

Kgosi Puso urged them to be responsible citizens and stay away from alcohol and drugs. “We as dikgosi are experiencing problems emanating from decadence that is threatening to erode the social fibre,” he said. 

Graduates were also reminded to think about the past and remember the ideals, values and principles that the country’s forefathers laid as the foundation of this great nation.

 “Let us intelligently infuse them, jealously protect them and constantly mirror them as we map the future society,” he said. ENDS