•56% graduates female

GASABO - Kigali Independent University (ULK) Saturday held its 5th graduation ceremony that saw 1,337 students graduate in different disciplines.

The ceremony which took place at the university’s stadium in Gisozi had more female graduates at 56.3 percent of the total graduates, with three of them graduating with a grand distinction.

The function was graced by the State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Theoneste Mutsindashyaka.

The graduates were from the departments of Law, Social Sciences, Administrative Sciences, Demography and Economics respectively.

"We are committed to our mission of providing knowledge through doing extensive research and giving the values to the students,” said the university’s rector Dr Alphonse Ngagi.

According to ULK Chancellor and founder, Senator Rwigamba Barinda, since 2001 his university has graduated 7536 students in various disciplines and the ULK family has expanded in terms of administration and infrastructure. 

"We have been teaching all graduates that the secret to success lies in obeying God and loving the country as one serving the community,” Barinda stressed.

He promised to set up a centre in two months time that will help in capacity building and confidence building of young entrepreneurs.

Kim Kamasa, who was speaking on behalf of graduates, said that the university should begin the masters programmes that will help them to compete with others at the market.

"The university should put in place a master’s programme at an affordable cost to enable us compete favourably on the liberalised labour market that our country has helped to put in place,” said Kamasa, who is the Editor of Izuba Rirashe, a vernacular tri-weekly sister newspaper of The New Times. 

Mutsindashyaka urged the graduates to put to good use the knowledge they attained at the university urging them to use it to develop the country.

"These Bachelors degrees are just the beginning, you will have to go further as far as education is concerned. Work hard to develop the country,” Mutsindashyaka urged.

Meanwhile, among the graduates was another reporter of The New Times, Gertrude Majyambere.

Ends