New Era Newspaper

New Era Epaper
Icon Collap
...
Home / Do Away with Jealousy, Graduates Told

Do Away with Jealousy, Graduates Told

2006-05-15  Staff Report 2

Do Away with Jealousy, Graduates Told
"By Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK About 170 new graduates from the International University of Management (IUM) were told to rid themselves of the culture of blame, jealousy, tribalism, racism, favouritism and corruption. At a well-attended graduation event in the capital on Saturday, the students were awarded various certificates, diplomas, degrees and postgraduate degrees in the fields of marketing management, travel and tourism, financial and computer management. Others graduated in business administration and HIV/Aids management. Addressing the graduates, the Chairperson and Vice Chancellor of IUM Dr David Namwandi said that the culture of blaming others must go, as well as that of blaming others for one's own failure. ""Go out there and create wealth and work for other people. You have not only been trained to get the paper but to create wealth and jobs. So stop blaming government and the private sector for unemployment,"" said Namwandi, adding that apportioning blame is one of the factors that destroy societies and even countries. Other factors that contribute to this trend are tribalism, racism, favouritism and nepotism that eventually lead to corruption. Namwandi noted that as educated nationals, the new graduates should not wait for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to root out corruption, but must take the initiative at home. Another baggage that students should rid themselves of is jealousy. ""Let us learn how to admire successful efforts of others as they will benefit our children tomorrow. In most cases educated elites are forced to leave their own countries because of jealousy."" This is the fifth graduation ceremony of IUM since it was founded in 1993 and launched by Founding Father of the Nation Dr Sam Nujoma on October 26, 2002. The institution has grown considerably over the years. The number of 800 students in previous years has grown to 1 100 in the current academic year, and the demand for a bigger campus increases every day, Apart from this, the tertiary institution increased the various programmes it offers from 17 to its present 31 programmes altogether. With over 16 000 books, it also has its own fully fledged library, while recently a new IUM branch opened its doors to students in Swakopmund, bringing the total number of centres to four including the ones at Ongwediva and Walvis Bay. The guest speaker at the graduation ceremony was Minister of Education Nangolo Mbumba, who commended the university for complementing government's efforts in building the much needed human capacity and job creation at the same time. ""This is a progressive response to the demands of the labour market,"" said Mbumba, who felt it is only through education that Namibia could emerge a winning nation. He further commended the fact that other institutions around the region and in the world are emulating the IUM's Faculty of HIV/Aids. That is why most of the students who graduated recently also came from countries like Malawi, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana and Angola. At the same occasion in his solidarity speech, Group Foundation Chairperson of ShareWORLD Open University of Malawi Professor Jack Makhaza said that it turns out that most Africans resort to universities overseas, while not knowing that their own universities in Southern Africa are just as credible. In this light he noted that Africans must work towards stopping the brain drain, through institutions like IUM and others, otherwise the country's social economic development would prove useless. ""Africans must support, work together, unite and encourage one another in solidarity for patriotism. Avoid jealousy because unless we do this Africa will not develop,"" explained Prof Makhaza. The graduation ceremony ended off with sounds from the IUM Choir as well as upcoming local musicians like Whitey de Wit who recently launched an album."
2006-05-15  Staff Report 2

Tags: Khomas
Share on social media