Umutara Polytechnic University will hold its maiden graduation ceremony on November 25. A total of 400 students will graduate with Degrees in various disciplines.

On the face of it, 400 graduands is a drop in the ocean. However, it ought to be recalled that this is the maiden graduation ceremony for the institution that largely aims to train people in science and technology disciplines.

The focus on science and technology by institutions of higher learning is critical in the development process of the country.  Human resources gaps remain a major constraint in key service delivery sectors.

This is historically attributed to the lip service that past governments paid to higher education, especially in the fields of sciences and technology.

Recent years have seen an emphasis on science and technology in institutions of higher learning, as the government seeks to steer the country towards that direction.

The opening of a regional campus by the Carnegie Mellon University, in Rwanda, is yet another development that will help further the cause of science and technology at university level.

With such focused investment in practical areas in education, major gaps will be bridged and also help transform higher institutions of learning into cutting edge centres of research and technological development.

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