The University of Management and Technology (UNIMTEC) has on Saturday, 30th April, conferred degrees, higher diplomas and diploma to 1,395 of its students for the 2021 academic year with the theme 'pursuant of excellence for national and international relevance'.
Giving her report for the 2021/2022 academic year, Vice Chancellor and Principal of UNIMTEC, Professor Roseline Emeh Uyanga said the convocation marked the 11th graduation ceremony and the second since the university became an autonomous university two years ago.
She said the ceremony was eventful because it was a memorable day and one that was worth celebrating, adding that 543 students graduated with bachelor's degree, 532 with higher diploma and 320 with diploma.
Madam Uyanga recounted on the gains which the university has made in the 2021 academic year.
She mentioned that the university, over the years, continues to expand, because it has branches across the country. "The University is under a vertical extension, renovation and maintenance," she revealed.
The Vice Chancellor and Principal further admitted that the university has trained and qualified lecturers and stressed on the need for staff strength.
She continues that UNIMTEC has never benefitted from a research grant from the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, but that they have been able to aid their lecturers with their internally generated funds. "Students are now being introduced to research work by their lecturers," she said.
Going further, she spoke of pedagogical trainings for lectures. "No matter how qualified you are, you must go through some pedagogical training to enable you teach properly," she opined.
In terms of the university's corporate social responsibility, Madam Uyanga revealed that UNIMTEC offers free computer classes to people living in the community where the college is operating and that in terms of quality assurance; the university has CCTV cameras in all its examination halls which are controlled by IT technicians.
She disclosed that the college has accredited programme in mining engineering, adding that the university would soon establish a mining laboratory which would be used to test extractives, thereby minimizing the need to send the country's extractives overseas for testing.
She also mentioned that UNIMTEC would soon complete a fish production centre in Kambia, stating that when completed it will begin to offer courses in aqua culture and fish production.
"I want to encourage the graduates to be good ambassadors of the college, translate what they had learnt into the welfare of humanity and please when you go out there don't let the university down," she said.
A representative from the Ministry of Tertiary and Higher Education told all present during the graduation ceremony, that UNIMTEC is a legal and private entity established by Section 43(1) of the University Act of 2021.
He added that UNIMTEC has fulfilled the required criteria in order to attain University status pursuant to Section 2 of the University Act.
He promised that the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education would continue to provide support to tertiary institutions across the country and further stressed on the need to put an end to academic fraud.
"All those who hold fake degrees must resign now and provide space for the new graduates because we are coming for them soon. I want past and present students to remember that UNIMTEC is their university and their aim is to acquire knowledge," he said.
On his own part, Represented from the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), Josephus Sawyer said UNIMTEC is a legal and bonafide academic institution in the country. He recounted the stages which the University gone through into becoming what it has become today (autonomous university).
Sawyer spoke highly against fake academic institutions. He disclosed that TEC would continue to fight against the proliferation of fake academic institutions in the country. "TEC would always serve as a link for universities and would proffer remedies for lapses.
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There was no shortage of jubilation among graduates when the conferment was being done. Haja Fatmata Bundu, a graduate in Logistics and Procurement Management during an interview told this medium that being conferred with a higher diploma from a recognized university was the most important thing that has happened to her.
She spoke highly of his lecturers whom she said were professional and committed to impacting knowledge in them.
She added that her dream of holding a higher diploma in Logistics and Procurement Management would not have come true if not for the support she received from her parents and the commitment of her lecturers.
Madam Bundu said she looks forward to getting a job in a bid for her to practicalise what she had leant from the College.
The two best male and female graduates of the University received the sum of Le 2 million Leones and a trophy each from the Adonis Aboud Trust Fund who is a leading philanthropist in the country.
The conferment of degrees, higher diploma and diploma was done by Deans of various faculties in the University.
