SPEECH BY THE GUEST OF HONOUR - PROFESSOR VENANSIUS BARYAMUREEBA VC OF UTAMU AT THE 4th GRADUATION CEREMONY OF ALL SAINTS UNIVERSITY LANGO (ASUL) 13 December 2014 at 13:34 The Chancellor, Honorable Members of Parliament and Government Officials, Religious Leaders, The Chairperson and Members of the University Council, The Vice Chancellor, Vice Chancellors and Principals from Sister Institutions, Members of the University Senate, Members of Staff, Invited Guests, Parents and Guardians, Graduands, Ladies and Gentlemen Mr. Chancellor Sir, It’s a great honor and privilege for me to be here today as the Guest of Honour at the 4th Graduation Ceremony of All Saints University, Lango. All Saints University, Lango was established through a Provisional Licence issued by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) on March 3, 2008. The idea of establishing All Saints University, Lango was first conceived in 1963, but due to various changes that occurred in Uganda, it was not possible for it to take-off. It’s been a long time coming, but on March 3, 2008, because of what you, the people of Lango did, change came to Lango region through the establishment of All Saints University, Lango. It is indeed a great honour and privilege to be here today to address the congregation especially the graduands. To the Chancellor, The University Council, the University Senate and Management, I say thank you for inviting me. Today, the University has three Faculties, namely: Faculty of Business and Management, Faculty of Social Sciences and Faculty of Education. The University currently offers certificate, diploma and bachelor’s degrees. All these are major achievements in such a short time, and thanks to the Chancellor, Council, Senate, Management, Staff and Students for a job well done. All Saints University is a University whose main objective is to provide affordable and quality education, focusing on the needs of vulnerable, disadvantaged persons affected by the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) war, HIV/AIDs, other diseases and poverty. This 4th Graduation Ceremony is a testimony that the University is fulfilling its objectives for which it was set up. Let us always be reminded of the great words the framers of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda put in the preamble, and I quote: ‘’RECALLING our history, which has been characterised by political and constitutional instability; RECOGNISING our struggles against the forces of tyranny, oppression and exploitation; COMMITTED to building a better future by establishing a socio-economic and political order through a popular and durable national Constitution based on the principles of unity, peace, equality, democracy, freedom, social justice and progress;’’ never again should we allow this country, the Pearl of Africa, to slide back into political and constitutional instability. The dark past that saw our brothers and sisters in Northern Uganda spend their youthful years in Internally Displaced People’s camps is behind us. But we need to give them a future. We must give them education. Education is not preparation for life, education is life itself (John Dewey) and Education is the most powerful weapon, which we can use to change the world. I for one, I had quality education that gave me life. I want to assure today’s Graduands that All Saints University has given you life. All you need to do is to live this life for the good of the community around you so that others can be touched. When I finished my PhD in Computer Science at the University of Bergen in Norway, I did come back to Makerere University in 2000 and through my works and the works of colleagues we did touch many souls in this country. In September 2012, God had different plans for me and I left Makerere University together with some of my colleagues and started Uganda Technology And Management University (UTAMU). UTAMU got a licence on March 11, 2013 and in a space of less than 2 years, we are touching lives of many through provision of quality education. Proverbs 16: 9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” In other words, we have our ideas and make our plans, but God will ultimately accomplish His sovereign desires. Do our goals make room for the unexpected? Do we love God’s will more than our own? So that in times of challenge or uncertainty like losing or leaving a great job like I did in September 2012, you can take comfort in the words of Jesus: “Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So if you are asking yourself what next after graduation, you have the answer, ‘’God Leads’’ which is a core value of All Saints University, Lango. If you put your trust in God, he will lead you to greatness. Mr. Chancellor Sir, we are reminded of The mission of ASUL, which is to provide quality teaching, innovative research and outreach and to instill moral values for sustainable development needs of rural and urban communities and its vision is to be a center of excellence in the provision of pragmatic and quality higher education responsive to sustainable development needs of a global society. We remain committed to the theme of ASUL, which is ‘’to provide quality and hands on training through innovation for sustainable socio-economic development’’. These are very powerful and inspirational statements. They make ASUL stand out of the crowd. Inspiration is a stimulating feeling that we seek to motivate us, to continue pressing forward through hardships and to find meaning amidst chaos. What inspires us is sometimes found in the rarest of forms. It is sometimes in plain sight. It is often stumbled upon without intention, and it is sometimes graciously handed to us in the form of wise words, spoken by experienced and influential minds. I hope I will be able to inspire you by the end of my speech. Though inspiration in itself is not enough. We need to acquire employability skills. Employability skills is a group of essential abilities that involve the development of a knowledge base, expertise level and mindset that is increasingly necessary for success in the modern workplace. Employability skills are typically considered essential qualifications for many job positions and hence have become necessary for an individual’s employment success at just about any level within a business environment. I am glad to note that the programmes of ASUL are tailored towards students acquiring employability skills, which is inline with Skilling Uganda programme. Employers want Graduates who possess employability skills. For a very long time, the recipients of the graduates from Ugandan Universities have complained of lack of employability skills. It is important to note that a survey report released by the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) in May 2014 on employability of graduates in East Africa found that graduates from Kenya and Rwanda are preferred in the workplace to their counterparts from other East African countries. The study, which polled employers across the region, concluded that in general, East African graduates lack employability skills. According to this study, Uganda had the worst record, with at least 63% of graduates found to lack employability skills, followed by Tanzania at 61%, Burundi at 55%, Rwanda at 52% and Kenya at 51%. The findings by the IUCEA, which regulates higher education in the East African Community’s five countries confirms long-held concerns among employers that most higher education graduates are not fully prepared for the job market. I am happy to note that at least 80% of ASUL graduates get employed within one year after graduation. With limited employment opportunities due to the youth bulge and an underdeveloped private sector, Universities including ASUL need to impart entrepreneurial skills in addition to employability skills to students to enable them become job creators or start self-employment ventures and make a start in life. As much as Universities like ASUL are committed to providing quality education, the government cannot run away from its responsibility of ensuring quality education in all education institutions through creating a favorable regulatory environment and extending strategic funds like for infrastructure and science laboratories to the whole sector including private institutions as it is done in other countries. But for this to happen the government must increase the budget for the education sector to at least 20% of the national budget. Other sectors that compliment education like health and agriculture should also get at least 15% and 10% respectively in fulfillment of the African Union Declarations by the Heads of State and Governments. Nobody can excel in school unless he or she has access to quality medical care and food. Mr. Chancellor Sir, the mission and theme of ASUL both emphasis the importance of promoting an innovation culture in our education institutions in particular and the country at large. Innovation is the process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay. To be called an innovation, an idea must be replicable at an economic cost and must satisfy a specific need. Innovation can emerge from new technological and non-technological knowledge. Non-technological innovations are closely related to the know-how, skills, and working conditions that are embedded in organizations. Although substantial gains can be obtained by improving institutions, building infrastructure, reducing macroeconomic instability, or improving human capital, all these factors eventually run into diminishing returns. The same is true for the efficiency of the labor, financial, and goods markets. In the long run, standards of living can be largely enhanced by technological innovation. Technological breakthroughs have been at the basis of many of the productivity gains that the world economies have historically experienced. These range from the industrial revolution in the 18th century and the invention of the steam engine and the generation of electricity to the more recent digital revolution. The latter is not only transforming the way things are being done, but also opening a wider range of new possibilities in terms of products and services. Innovation is particularly important for economies as they approach the frontiers of knowledge and the possibility of generating more value by only integrating and adapting exogenous technologies tends to disappear. Our hope and wish is that ASUL continues to be the leading centre of technological innovation in the whole of Lango region. But for a country to be able to innovate it needs to invest in quality scientific research institutions, improve its capacity for innovation, promote University-Industry collaboration in Research and Development (R&D), encourage companies to spend on R&D, invest in research leading to patents, ensure availability of scientists and engineers, and be able to procure advanced technology products for local use. We need to urge the government to allocate at least 1% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) sector inline with the African Union Declaration by the Heads of State and Government. ASUL is not only a University for Lango region but also a national University. Therefore ASUL together with its alumni need to join the fight against corruption. The fight against corruption is everybody’s responsibility. Corruption is a cancer that is eating up Uganda’s society. Annually billions of shillings of Uganda’s tax payers’ money and millions of dollars from development partners are lost through corruption. The 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International ranked Uganda among the most corruption countries in the world. It ranked Rwanda 55th with a score of 49%, Tanzania 119th with a score of 31%, Uganda 142nd with a score of 26%, Kenya 145th with a score of 25% and Burundi 159th with a score of 20%. Thus, Rwanda is ranked as the least corrupt country in East Africa. The 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index measured the perceived levels of public sector corruption in 175 countries and territories. The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks countries and territories based on how corrupt their public sector is perceived to be. A country or territory’s score indicates the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean). A country or territorys rank indicates its position relative to the other countries and territories in the index. Poorly equipped schools, poor roads, counterfeit medicine and elections decided by money are just some of the consequences of public sector corruption. Bribes and backroom deals don’t just steal resources from the most vulnerable – they undermine justice and economic development, and destroy public trust in government and leaders. On the other hand, Uganda is no longer competitive as an investment destination. Competitiveness is the set of institutions, policies, and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country. The level of productivity, in turn, sets the level of prosperity that can be reached by an economy. The productivity level also determines the rates of return obtained by investments in an economy, which in turn are the fundamental drivers of its growth rates. In other words, a more competitive economy is one that is likely to grow faster over time. Uganda is still ranked low in terms of global competitiveness, i.e. the global competitive index 2013-2014 ranked Burundi 146th, Uganda 129th, Tanzania 125th, Kenya 96th, and Rwanda 66th out of the 148 countries ranked globally. Thus Rwanda tops the list as the most competitive country in East Africa. This implies that Rwanda followed by Kenya are the preferred investment destinations within East Africa. Uganda needs to do more in terms of improving on the 12 pillars of competiveness (Global Competiveness Report 2013-2014, World Economic Forum) if rapid human and economic development is to be realized. Three of these pillars are on provision of quality education, health services and innovation. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of ASUL to this noble cause. As someone who is very passionate about education and also in my capacity as Chairperson of the Uganda Vice Chancellors’ Forum, Chairperson of Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Innovation Council, Chairperson of Makerere University Business School Council, Chairperson of Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board, Member of Senate of Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Busitema University and Vice Chancellor Uganda Technology And Management University, I pledge to use my positions to influence the National Council for Higher Education to put in place minimum standards for curricula in Universities, business, vocational and technical institutions that ensure acquisition of employability skills, entrepreneurship skills and soft skills so that we produce graduate who are relevant to the world of work and with capacity to become job creators. I will also lobby government to support the private universities because they provide a public good. Respected Graduands, The core values for All Saints University, Lango are enshrined in its Christian values and development principles namely: God leads; Ethics and Integrity; Professionalism; Innovativeness; Constant Search for Excellence; Dedication and Commitment; Time Management; and Learning and Responsive Organizations. Mr. Chancellor Sir, this speech would be incomplete if I ended without touching on the key value of ASUL ‘’God Leads’’. This is important especially for the graduands who may not be sure of their next destination after here. Respected Graduands, The first message I would like to leave with you today is that have faith in the Lord because he fulfills his promises. In Proverbs 9:10 the bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy one is understanding. In this regard I would like to share with you the story of Abraham and Sarah: In Genesis 21: 2 As the Lord had promised, Sarah became pregnant and bore a Son to Abraham who was 100 years and Sarah 90 at the time. Abraham named him Isaac. In Genesis 22: 1-2 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, Abraham! And he said here I am.’’ Then He said, ‘’Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you’’. In Genesis 22: 10-12 Abraham reached out his hand and the knife to slay his only son but at this moment the angel of the Lord called upon him from heaven that do not lay a hand on Isaac. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. In Genesis 22: 15 -18 The angel of the Lord said that because you have obeyed the Lord, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Sarah also had a long life and died at 127 years. ‘’That is the fear of the Lord’’ and by his actions Abraham’s faith was confirmed. We need to obey the Lord just like Abraham did. In Hebrew the meaning of the name Sarah is: Princess. Her name was originally Sarai (quarrelsome), but God commanded that her name be changed to Sarah before the birth of her son, Isaac. Genesis 21:5-6 Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah 90 years old when their son Isaac was born. So Sarah said, ‘God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me’. In Hebrew the meaning of the name Isaac is: He laughs. Laughter. So when people ask you what is in a name? There is everything in a name. If you have a Good name let it be the main source of your inspiration and your rallying point but if you have a bad one don’t believe in it. If God had to command that Sarai (Quarrelsome) changes her name to Sarah (Princess) before she could give birth to Isaac why can’t you change your name if it is bad? My name Venantius or Venansius is after St. Venantius of Camerino who was beheaded on May 18 and I was born on May 18,1969. In Runyankore, my surname Baryamureeba can be loosely translated, as ‘they will see him’. Names in much of the African and Jewish cultures and other cultures are pointers to the owners’ and/or givers’ hopes, dreams and aspirations; they may reflect geographical environments, fears, religious beliefs, attitudes and philosophies. Childrens names may even provide insights into an important cultural or socio-political event at the time of their birth. The circumstances surrounding a childs birth may also be considered when a name is chosen, for example, famine, good weather, hospital conditions etc. (2) God will create a crisis to raise up his own. In this regard, I will share with you the story of Joseph and Jesus. 2(a) In Genesis Chapter 39 we read about Joseph being taken down to Egypt and working for one of Pharaoh’s officials before he was put in prison, the place where the King’s prisoners were confined. In Genesis 41 we read about Joseph being taken out of prison to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. After Joseph correctly interpreting the King’s dreams he was made Prime Minister at the age of 30; Genesis 41:41 so pharaoh said to Joseph, I hereby put you in charge of the whole of Egypt. For Joseph to be appointed Prime Minister he had to go through prison. Also God created a crisis as nobody could interpret Pharaohs dreams. So Joseph had to come out of Prison to interpret Pharaoh’s dreams. But Joseph was also raised to the position of Prime Minister. Joseph named his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim. In Hebrew Manasseh means He helps me forget and Ephraim means fruitful. In Genesis 41:46-57 in the names of his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph owned the Divine providence i.e. He was made to forget his misery; and He was made fruitful in the land of his affliction. The name Jesus means Savior. It is the same name as Joshua in the Old Testament. It is given to our Lord because He saves His people from their sins. This is His special role. These are yet other examples on naming children. Give your children great names because names are pointers of dreams and aspirations. 2(b) Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead John 11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” So a crisis had to be created so that God’s son is glorified. Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead John 11 38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” The lesson is that whatever you ask for in the name of the Lord you shall receive. (3) The Story of Saul and David: Saul Loses God’s Favour and David Becomes King. 1 Samuel 9 Saul went into the wilderness with one of his father’s servants looking for his father’s donkeys. The crisis was the lost donkeys. 1 Samuel 9:17 Samuel caught sight of Saul and the Lord told him this is the man I spoke to you about; he will govern my people. 1 Samuel 11: 15 Saul was confirmed as King. 1 Samuel 15: 10-11 Now the word of the Lord Came to Samuel, saying ‘’I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as King, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments. And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night. 1 Samuel 15: 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being King. Unlike Abraham who obeyed the lord (Genesis 22: 15 -18) Saul did not and the Lord also rejected him from being King. 1 Samuel 16:13 Samuel anointed David with oil and from that day the spirit of the Lord came upon David in power. David was a son of Jesse of Bethlehem. David means the beloved or friend. 1 Samuel 17:10 -11 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. 1 Samuel 17:43-44 He said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. ‘’Come here he said, and I will give your fresh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field. 1 Samuel 17: 45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 1 Samuel 17: As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. 1 Samuel 18: 6-7 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with timbrels and lyres. As they danced, they sang: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands.” Again the Lord used the crisis created by Goliath, the Philistine, to raise up David. Goliath lost the battle to David because Goliath defied the Lord, even the sword and spear and javelin could not protect Goliath. 1 Samuel 16:13 Samuel anointed David with oil and from that day the spirit of the Lord came upon David in power and that is why David told Goliath that “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. Respected Graduands, as I conclude let me leave you with these two great quotes from the world’s great leaders: ”Never give up on something that you cant go a day without thinking about”. Winston Churchill; and I don’t know who my grandfather was, I am much more concerned to know what his grandson will be. Abraham Lincoln. Your past should not hold you back; your future is in your hands and go after your heart’s desires, dreams and aspirations. Respected Graduands, as you enter the world of work, I leave you with God’s message from Matthew 5: 13-16:13 You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled upon underfoot by men. 14You are the light of the world. A city that is set upon a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Its only and only then that You Will Be As a Shining City Upon a Hill (Matthew 5:14). God bless All Saints University, Lango, and God Bless Uganda. For God and My Country, I thank you.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 16:32:35 +0000