Speaker Urges Graduands to Prioritize Innovation and Enterprise Over Mere Qualifications

At the 16th graduation ceremony of Makerere Business Institute (MBI), Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth urged graduates to look beyond their academic credentials and embrace practical skills for the modern workforce. Addressing 564 students who received diplomas and certificates in fields like Journalism, ICT, Business, and Finance, Oboth stressed the importance of innovation, integrity, and enterprise in creating employment opportunities.

“Education must, therefore, give us more than documents. It must give us skills, character and the courage to create opportunities,” the Speaker remarked, highlighting that tertiary education’s true role is to foster learning that extends beyond mere academic achievements.

He also acknowledged the significant challenges faced by vulnerable children, including school dropouts, early pregnancies, child labor, and mental health issues. Speaker Oboth reiterated Parliament’s dedication to enacting policies that support these children, ensuring they remain in school and gain access to skills and opportunities, as they represent the nation’s future workforce.

The graduands were encouraged to adopt technology while maintaining their human values, urging them to establish businesses, generate jobs, and utilize their acquired skills to address societal problems. “Artificial intelligence will transform the workplace, but it will never replace character, judgment, and integrity,” Oboth stated.

Responding to concerns about the operational costs for private educational institutions, the Speaker assured that Parliament would work towards creating an enabling policy environment for affordable, high-quality education. Hon. Madina Ntale, MP for Kawempe Division South, echoed the Speaker’s sentiments, advising the graduates to embrace hard work, discipline, and self-reliance.

Source: https://www.parliament.go.ug/news/4574/speaker-graduands-embrace-innovation-and-enterprise