BUKALASA AGRICULTURE COLLEGE TO HOLD 56TH GRADUATION
Bukalasa Agriculture college is set to graduate over 600 students ending a two years wait by the already qualified students, the 56th graduation ceremony will be a hybrid one with a few selected students attending physically and the majority virtually. According to the College Principal Mr Gelvan Kisolo lule, the event will bring together three sets of qualified students, those that qualified in 2019and 2020 but did not graduate due to COVID 19 disruptions.
“The college will finally pass out awards to its well-qualified professionals, these have been waiting to graduate and join the countries expert pool that serves the farmers. After a long wait, we are to graduate 600 students with both diplomas and certificates” said Kisolo.
The principal adds that many students had become very impatient to wait and kept coming to the college asking for the awards, these claimed it was difficult for them to be absorbed without any proof they are qualified to join the marketplace.
The 56th Graduation ceremony which is to be held on the 10th day of September 2021 will be officiated by the Honorable Minister of Agriculture Animal industry and fisheries Hon Frank Tumwebaze and few invited special guests.
According to Dr Bernard Lukenku, the Events chairperson, the college wrote to the resident district commissioner asking for permission to hold the event, and permission was granted to have a few participants present, with strict conditions to observe the Covid 19 standard Operating Procedures.
“ We expect about 100 people to physically attend, the event shall be streamed live on all social media platforms that we have already shared with our students, parents, and partners, we shall also have live streaming on UBC televisions where parents and grandaunts will see in the comfort of their homes. “ said Dr Lukenku.
Mr Samueal Galiwango the college Academic registrar said the students yet to graduate will go a long way to support the current workforce trying to transform agriculture during the pandemic.
“ We have skilled these students to face new challenges of the world today, the country still grapples with a deficit in extension service delivery, these students, are the best of the best and we are sure that they are going to bridge the gap in extension and advisory service delivery. “ adds Galiwango.
Bukalasa Agricultural College is the only remaining purely agriculture-focused training institution, situated 50 km north of Kampala; it was established by the then Colonial Government in 1920 as a cotton breeding center. It has since then metamorphosed into an agricultural training institution with a strong reputation of training front-line agricultural extension workers as well as a home to many household names of academicians, administrators, researchers, and impeccable leaders.