This opinion was first published in the New Vision on March 3, 2021
By Prof. Eriabu Lugujo
A cross Uganda, universities have had to change in the way they are doing things. Right from budgeting, university year calendars, remote learning and assessment of students due to COVID-19.
Apart from that, the most important event in most universities is the graduation ceremonies; which have also been gravely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Ndejje University plans for its graduation this week on Friday, like many other universities which are also in the process of planning for theirs, I have realised that we cannot run away from virtual graduation ceremonies.
Honestly, it is business unusual and we have to get used to doing things in a different way. When I saw Conan Businge’s article, in New Vision late last year; saying virtual graduation had become the new norm, I prayed it never happens that way for so long.
However, reality has kicked in and we will have to stand living with this COVID-19 for a longer time. This means we will have virtual graduations for a longer time. This also directly means, we have we will have to miss out on the physical attendance of our parents and guardians. This is always a time to celebrate with them, but times have changed.
Like many other universities, we will have to go in for virtual graduations for a year or two. I think the reality is kicking in, and kicking in real hard. We cannot avoid it.
So many students who will graduate from the university this year must be envisaging hearing their names being read by their deans and the chancellor conferring degrees on them, in the presence of their parents and friends.
However, all that is now gone. But not all gone. They can still follow us on the social media platform since we will do a live broadcast of the event on Urban Television under Vision Group, Zoom, Twitter and on Facebook live of all our social media accounts of the university. However, even with the hustles, we are going through, let us be positive that we can still embrace the new changes and make them part of our lives. Times are changing so fast; more reason we should also change fast. In the past, it would always be universities abroad conducting such graduations online for their international students. Nowadays, almost all universities have to do virtual graduations.
As times change, our parents, lecturers, students, and government; all have to appreciate these changes. The changes will help us learn fast and make higher education more vibrant than ever before.
The writer is the vice-chancellor of Ndejje University
