By Solister Mogha
Zomba, April 28, Mana: President, Dr Lazarus Chakwera has challenged the University of Malawi (Unima) to maintain high standards as it undergoes delinking process.
Speaking at Chancellor College during the virtual graduation where only 73 with distinction attended the ceremony physically.
Chakwera said the founder of Unima, Late President Dr Hastings Kamuzu Banda had a great vision, which was to make Malawian education competitive to the world.
He said Unima was as such, founded to offer education that would capacitate graduates with knowledge that would make them outclass others even those from developed countries.
“We must at all-times strive to maintain the high standards that were set by the founding father of Unima. Even now that we are delinking, we must ensure the standards are not compromised,” Chakwera added.
The President said quality education provides room for a country to unlock doors for its growth.
He said most developed countries used their education to realize the great potential they had for their social economic development.
“We must use education to transform this country by generating wealth, improve our health system and infrastructural development,” Chakwera said.
The President said he was personally impressed with the delinking process because it offers more access to tertiary education.
He said, for a successful transition, it required sacrifice and dedication from all parties concerned.
Dr Chakwera has since challenged graduating students to reflect on the sacrifices everyone made for their success and how they intend to pay back to this nation.
The President said the commitment that graduating students had during their studies should continue even now they is out ready to serve.
“You must at all-time have a sense of purpose and use the knowledge gained to transform the nation,” Chakwera said.
Acting Vice Chancellor of University of Malawi, Prof Alfred Mtenje said the university would always fight for better and quality education.
Mtenje said meanwhile, Unima was engaged in a number of projects that aims at improving the quality education.
“Unima has kept on growing and the delinking due next week Tuesday is one such a symbol of growth. It is worth mentioning that we have several projects within the university all aimed at improving the education standard,” he disclosed.
Mtenje pointed out that Unima has started offering online studies as one way of keeping education accessible during this Covid-19 pandemic.
Unima Council Chairperson, Prof. Jack Wirima said even though the university was growing by giving birth to other colleges, quality of education would always be of paramount.
This is the first graduation ceremony to be held virtually by Unima and about 1,852 students graduated with certificates, diploma and degrees.
Out of the total 1, 103 were males and 749 females.
