- Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu giving one of the excelling students his certificate.
The happy graduates.
Parents from across the nation had come to see their children graduate.
The parents were the happiest to see their children finally graduating.
A proud father and his son.
A proud mother embracing her daughter.
The parents were happy to see their children achieve such a great milestone.
Minister Batshu officiated the event.
Dr. Nasha adressing the crowd.
One of the excelling students receiving her certificate.
The crowd cheering for the graduates.
A total of 1931 students from five countries recently graduated from Limkokwing University Botswana. The graduation ceremony was held on the 3rd of April, and was attended by Botswana’s Speaker of the National Assembly; Dr Margaret Nasha, and the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs; Mr Edwin Batshu.
Students from Botswana, Lesotho, Zambia, Malawi and India graduated from various Faculties, including seven from the Special Education Unit; three visually impaired and four physically impaired students.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Nasha encouraged the students to uphold the name and morale of the University even after graduation.
“I am convinced that coming out of Limkokwing University you are a brand on your own, you must remember to live the brand.”
She also reminded the students that young people were the best resource the country has, and challenged them to work towards taking the country to a developed nation status.
“If we believe in ourselves, we can do miracles for ourselves and our beloved country,” she said.
The graduates expressed gratitude towards the University for opening a campus in Botswana and providing them an escape from a future that might otherwise have been mediocre. They said the establishment of the University in Botswana gave the country an opportunity to grow and diversify its economy.
Minister Batshu, who was officiating the ceremony, conveyed the country’s gratitude to Limkokwing University’s Founder and President, Tan Sri Limkokwing.
“We appreciate the immense efforts and commitment made by Tan Sri Limkokwing in setting up this magnificent institution in Botswana, and contributing to educating Botswana’s next generation of creative and innovative leaders.”
Mr Batshu also commended the University on providing an opportunity to tertiary education for student with special needs. Limkokwing Botswana’s Special Education Unit currently has 169 students, a testimony to the high demand and growth in the number of youth with special needs who have an interest in higher education.
Mr Batshu said the country on its own would not have been sufficiently capable of supporting the high number of special needs students.
“As a nation, we would not have adequately reached out to these students were it not for the special efforts and consideration by key players like this University,” he said.
Also in attendance was Limkokwing University alumnus and Editor in Chief of Monday Times; Alfred Masokola, who encouraged the students to venture into entrepreneurship.
He said the country was faced with a high rate of unemployment, and it was upon the youth to create job opportunities for themselves and fellow Batswana.
“Today you have to mark this day and decide that you are venturing into entrepreneurship,” he said.
During the graduation, the University also recognised excelling students, and awarded two of them full scholarships to study abroad. Keolebogile Rebecca Van Vuuren from the Faculty of Design Innovation was awarded a scholarship to further her study in the University’s Malaysia campus, while Wandipa Gachala was awarded a scholarship to either the campus in Malaysia or London.