This was stressed by Prof Tonny Oyana, principal of College of Computing and Information Sciences, Makerere University, as he presided over an awarding ceremony for the Amity University – Makerere University Collaboration and the e-VBAB project at the college on April 14, 2023.
Prof Oyana constituted the graduation congregation on behalf of the 28 partnering Indian universities. He awarded ordinary diplomas, post-graduate diplomas, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees to 138 graduands from four cohorts from 2017 to 2022 (less 2018’s cohort).
All courses, falling under different disciplines, were carried out online using the college as a tele-education hub. The cost of the courses under the e-VBAB project is met by the Indian government 100 per cent; 1,346 students have enrolled on it since 2020.
Under the Amity-Makerere collaboration memorandum, 70 per cent of the cost is met by the Indian government; 754 students have been admitted on it since 2018.
Oyana also later handed over individual academic transcripts and graduation certificates that were ready to almost half of the graduates.
He hailed the value of devoting positive energy to one’s career and life. He concluded with words of counsel, “Having completed these courses online, you already have the skill to enable you study further on other academic programmes or do research work. However, you must not forget that soft skills are more important than having a degree. You should avoid being arrogant and intimidating others. … If you are kind to everyone, humble and loving, you will die a happy person. If you examine yourself before doing anything, you will earn your freedom and become empowered.”
Makerere is one of the five regional African universities selected to host the e-VBAB project. The others are University of Yaounde, Cameroon; Alexandria University, Egypt; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana; and University of Malawi, Malawi.
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