People living with disabilities among Limkokwing graduates

Spira Tlhankane | Monday September 14, 2015 14:40

This is the highest number of graduates living with disabilities, released by the university. Of the graduates, eight are beneficiaries of the Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Paduka Limkokwing’s People Living with Disabilities Scholarship, which the university awarded to the Office of the President in 2009.

Speaking at the ceremony, one of the graduates, Patience Kgetse, said she was grateful to the university for giving her a chance to pursue her dreams. She said at first it was a challenge to study alongside normal students but the support she received from the special unit helped her through the tides.

“Most of us are media graduates and we are ready to take the media fraternity by storm,” she said.

Kgetse also thanked the government and the university founder, Dr Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Paduka Limkokwing, for giving people living with disabilities a chance to make their dreams come true.

Officiating at the graduation ceremony, Minister of Education and Skills Development (MOESD) Unity Dow said the quality of successive cohorts of the university’s graduates over the past eight years has demonstrated how appropriate and impacting the ethos and philosophy is for Botswana.

“The university is unquestionably transforming the national tertiary education landscape through creativity, design focused thinking and nurturing talent,” she said.

Dow said the university was also an important strategic partner in the MOESD new initiative – Target 2000 to upskill and upscale out of school youth in 12 centres across the country.

She told the graduates they are the hope of the nation, and therefore have an important role to play in the ongoing transformation of Botswana.

“You have had a unique global learning experience which will equip you for a successful future career.

I know the country can look forward with anticipation to your unique contribution,” she said.  The 28 graduates were awarded the Dr Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Paduka Limkokwing awards of excellence. Seven graduates received awards for academic excellence, 15 graduates got leadership awards, while six graduates received awards for creativity and innovation. 

The crowd at the graduation ceremony was kept entertained by the energetic Limkokwing choir, who had graduates eating from the palm of their hand when they performed popular theme song, ‘Wings to fly’.