Kabojja International School sets a new standard in graduation ceremonies

The school, which offers Cambridge Assessment International Education, was celebrating the graduation of its Year 6, 11 (IGSE) and year 13 (GCE) candidates and is known as one of the largest Cambridge learning centers in Uganda.

IGCSE stands for “International General Certificate of Secondary Education”.

Left to right: the Guest of honour Mr. Kimbowa arrives with the Principal Turya and director Lwasa Pulse

It is equivalent to the GCSE qualification which is taken by students in Year 10 – 11 in the UK to prepare them for further pre-university level study, such as A-levels.

The General Certificate of Education (GCE) is a subject-specific family of academic qualifications used in awarding bodies in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Crown dependencies and a few Commonwealth countries.

Wonderful dance performances from the students Pulse

In a prestigious ceremony rich in a mosaic of blue and crimson gowns and mortarboards of the similar colours, the event signified the day as a celebration, the start of a new chapter in the lives of the studentry.

Beneath the sweeping canopy of a deluxe tent, 157 students who undertook the IGCSE syllabus and many others who studied under GCE sat with their parents and school administrators to enjoy a number of well received speeches which started with the Year 6 representative Glorianne Bayoli Vitaha at 2:20 pm.

After her speech, Shanessa Kisembo, the yellow 11 representative, and Joseph Balikuddembe Ssekandi, the year 13 representative, spoke eloquently to set the stage for the class teachers to also make some remarks.

The principal speaks Pulse

Thereupon, the class teacher for year 6 Charles Olomo (who stood in for an indisposed Ms. Esther Mirembe), the class teacher year 11, Ms Patricia Chandia, and the class teacher year 13, Mr. Fred Kirya, were all brilliantly rousing with their speeches. Ms. Chandia, in particular, proved to be a crowd favourite in this regard.

The head teacher Primary Section, Ms. Leah Kimanga and head teacher High School Mr. Emmanuel Opuwa did not disappoint with glowing speeches which resonated with the finest traditions of learning.

“We aim to transform the lives of children through the application of quality education. Be bold, be creative, innovative and aggressive [in pursuing your dreams],” Ms. Kimanga urged.

Mr. Sam Turya, the Principal, revealed that he got the idea of a graduation ceremony from a visit to the USA.

The Guest of Honour delivered a stemwinder of a speech Pulse

He saw it fitting, he said, to create a culture of graduation so that if a student would graduate from Year 13, for instance, the euphoria related to the same would elevate the student’s interest to feel the same joy by striving to go to university then onto a PHD.

“This is a certificate of completion, not to be confused with results. Results are not yet out,” he noted about graduation ceremony.

After he delivered a speech packed with applause lines, the Guest of Honour, Mr. Peter Kimbowa, took to the rostrum with a speech both edifying and educative.

“Proper prior preparation prevents poor performance” was his clarion call to the students who he described as “lions on the move”.

The Guest of Honour spoke of the importance of innovation which he said comes from the Greek word “Nova” which means “new”, as he went on to speak of continuous improvement through humility and a willingness to learn.

Mr. Kimbowa, who had earlier arrived with school director Ahmed Lwasa, said this approach would help answer billionaire Jeff Bezos’s two questions: What are we missing? What’s our next opportunity?

He then gave an engaging talk about the Brooklyn Bridge, a hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the first fixed crossing of the East River.

He spoke about its founding and how it was fraught with obstacles which seemed insurmountable at the time.

“The obstacle is the way,” he said, proving that challenges make us better at what we do.

The awarding of certificates Pulse

After his speech, there was the awarding of certificates ceremony before all the assembled guests, students and school administrators sat down to a sumptuous meal.

It was surely a colorful event, interspersed with excellent video footage, dance and musical performances, which set a high watermark in terms of ceremony and the celebration of education as the key to success.

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