Unisa autumn graduations in full swing

In an historic moment, former president Thabo Mbeki officiated on 23 March 2017 at his first graduation ceremony since his inauguration as the Chancellor of Unisa.

In his congratulatory remarks, Mbeki said graduation ceremonies were a matter of great pride - for the graduates, their families, friends and guardians, and of course, for the university. "There is something special about these ceremonies, that has as much to do with the personal achievement of an important academic milestone and goal, as it does with the ceremony itself. There is indeed a sense that this is one of those rare, defining moments when a truly joyful celebration is merited."

He went on to congratulate Unisa for its sustained efforts in producing high-calibre graduates. He told the graduates that through the knowledge they had acquired, they had further reduced the perimeters of the unknown by the new that they had added to the totality of human knowledge.

"Thus does society as a whole join us here today to celebrate your success since that achievement means that humanity has gained new capacities to help bring about progress and transformation for the greater good of all society."

More than 400 qualifications were conferred on the night on students who undoubtably worked hard to collect the academic certificates printed in their names.

Indeed there is a time to plough and a time to reap. This was the central message which graduate after graduate demonstrated in their body language as they ascended to the stage to receive their qualifications. A graduation ceremony is a joyous occasion, the confirmation of a dream come true. Nowhere was this more evident than in the cheerful voices of the audience in the gallery, who couldn’t resist the temptation to ululate as graduates knelt down for their heads to be capped by a man who until recently they had only known as the former president.

The ceremony was prestigious, and the the significance of the occasion was mirrored in the glamorous outfits that abounded. Prof Mandla Makhanya, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Unisa, described the ceremony as joyous and colourful.

As former President Nelson Mandela once remarked, education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Unisa graduates join the ranks of millions across the globe who will use their knowledge and skills to grow the knowledge-based economy and assist in the betterment of society.

Unisa is not only the largest university in Africa, but it produces the highest number of graduates in the country. For the autumn graduations, the total number of qualifications is 22 841, which makes the university an epicentre of knowledge production. Included in this figure are 108 doctorates, 458 master’s and 1 005 honours degrees. Graduates with both three and four-year bachelor degrees numbered 9 881, while there were 6 949 undergraduate diplomas and certificates. Of the colleges, the College of Education produced the most qualifications at 9 624, while Gauteng Region headed the overall list with 7 657.
* All graduation statistics quoted are still preliminary.

Unisa students hail from diversified backgrounds and are attracted by the university’s quality education and affordable fees. The news team caught up with some of them and asked them about their feelings on graduating.

• Bernice Floyd, a Bachelor of Science in Computing graduate, said she was excited and grateful for the platform Unisa provided for her to complete a degree. "A degree has a useful value and it opens the door to many job opportunities. It may be demanding to study but it’s worth all the effort," she said.
• Jason Human, who graduated with a Diploma in IT, said he is happy that his qualification was conferred on him by the former president. He urged other students to study hard regardless of their challenges.
• Valry Seerane, who graduated with a National Diploma in Civil Engineering, couldn’t hide her happiness. "I’m excited and I feel honoured. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. The most important thing is to realise your goal," she affirmed.
• Moses Moses, who graduated with a BTech Degree in Electrical Engineering, said he is pleased with his progress in life and seeing Chancellor Mbeki was the most wonderful thing ever.

*By Percy Mthombeni