•    6 receive presidential award of excellence

Thousands yesterday turned up at Nyamirambo Regional Stadium to witness the maiden graduation ceremony of the Independent Institute of Lay Adventists of Kigali (INILAK).

During the colourful function, 1595 students were awarded with bachelors of business administration, information management and law.

Of the whole total, 843 are female while 752 are males.

For the last six years, students have been completing their studies but could not graduate because the university’s status had not been approved by government. .

Six students passed with grand distinctions and qualified for the presidential award of excellence.

They also received gifts like laptops, cash and products from Sulfo industries, Goshen Financial Services and Cogear s.a.r.l.

In her remarks, the then Minister of Education, Daphrose Gahakwa hailed the founders of the Institute and insisted that it was very vital to offer quality education if the future generations are to build the nation better.

"The students who passed with grand distinctions have been awarded with masters’ scholarships by President Paul Kagame so they can acquire more qualifications that will accelerate the country’s development.”

"Our nation’s human resource is our wealth so we are not just seeking to have a big number of graduates but those that have attained very good grades,” she said.

On behalf of INILAK, Peter Nkubara urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the Institute by working hard in all the arenas of the country such as the economic, social and political.

Nkubara who is the institute’s board chairman, also revealed that soon the institute will build a new campus in Nyanza, Southern province in a bid to offer more courses and contribute effectively to the creation of a knowledge-based economy just like vision 2020 stipulates.

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