By Francis Mukuzunga WINDHOEK Local training institute, Monitronic Success College, has been granted an extension to offer City&Guilds examinations in Telecommunication Systems and Electrical and Electronic Engineering Technicians certificates by the City&Guilds of London Institute. This follows the college’s success track record that dates back many years. Centre approval is granted for a period of two years, unless withdrawn earlier. Any qualification approval granted will run concurrently, valid until the expiry date of centre approval. A statement from the examining body says it also undertakes regular reviews of these qualifications to ensure their relevance to the ever-changing global workplace which means a college’s application may be revised or withdrawn. Apart from the City&Guilds, Monitronic Success College also runs a number of courses accredited to other internationally acclaimed institutions. To further strengthen its position in offering such qualifications, the college has signed part-time training and assessment agreement with the Windhoek Vocational Training Centre (WVTC). Under this agreement, the WVTC Electronics workshop would be accessible to the Monitronic Success College students on a part-time basis. Under this agreement, WVTC instructors are expected to give practical skills to learners of the college in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Code 8030) and Telecommunication System (Code 2730), and also to give practical assessment and issue internal certification. The agreement in August was between the WVTC principal, Donat Karegeya, and the college’s founder Daniel Nyaungwa. Last Saturday, the college saw its first batch of students graduating with associate university degrees at a colourful ceremony held at the Kalahari Sands Hotel in Windhoek. The graduation ceremony marked Monitronic’s seventh graduation in eight yearsÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ of the educational institution’s operation in Namibia. Thirty students graduated withÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ various diplomas, advanced diplomas and associate degrees. For the first time, four students graduated with associate degrees. The Institute of Commercial Management (ICM)-UK the examining body, introduced associate degrees recently. They are awarded to students who have successfully completed certificate, diploma, advanced diploma and submitted a research project. Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Dr Kobus Kotze, Chancellor of Monitronic Success College, urged graduands to make a success of their qualifications. Speaking at the same occasion, Lewis Durango, coordinator at the Namibia Training Authority, said that Government, through the parastatal, would in future fund and assist accredited privateÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ training providers such as Monitronic. Director of Monitronic Success College, Daniel Nyaungwa, congratulated all the graduates and warned them about the dangers of HIV/Aids. He said that, after graduating, students should not be a waste to the deadly disease. He urged students to join Government’s quest to fight corruption in the country and reminded them that this can only start with them in the classroom. Best students from among the graduates were Kundi De Cavaro of Angola, Frans Koolike of Namibia and Vicky Mamvura of Zimbabwe. The students went away with various awards donated by the college. Also among the graduates was Ursula cooper, who got a diploma in Human Resources Management. She told New Era that she would like to further her studies to the highest level available in the field. Also among them was Michael Kekumba, a Telecomms Systems graduate who went away with an advanced diploma. The student, who is also a citizen of the DRC, thanked the college for his achievements. Head of Department at the college’s Business School, Collin Paul, told New Era that the college was unique in that it had a diverse range of students from different countries and cultures and that this gave the college the much-needed international appeal. At the same occasion, team awards were handed out to the MonitronicÃÆ’Æ‘ÀÃ…ÃÆ”šÃ‚ Hotflames, a Division Two football team that is supported by the college.