Watoto Childcare Ministries hosted its 3rd graduation ceremony for Hope Vocational and Technical Institute on December 13, at Watoto’s Suubi Children’s Village in Mpigi.
At the occasion, the institute that was started by Watoto Childcare Ministries in 2005 to meet the pressing need for skilled labour in the marketplace presented up to 230 graduands, each receiving awards in various diploma and National Certificate programs.
Watoto Church Ministries’ Team Leader, Pastor Julius Rwotlonyo, said they celebrate a significant milestone as 230 students who have successfully completed their studies are graduating.
He said each student has a story about overcoming adversity to take responsibility for their future. About 300 students are enrolled at Hope Vocational and Technical Institute, each positioned to challenge the existing pattern and significantly impact their industry.
The institute offers 12 certificate-level academic programs and two diploma courses. Diploma programs include Electrical Engineering and Hotel and Institutional Catering.
Courses in National Certificate programs include Building and Electrical Services, Plumbing and pipe fitting, Woodwork (Carpentry), Automotive Mechanic, Art and Design (Painting and Decoration), Fashion and Design, Hotel and Institutional Catering, Cosmetology and Beauty Therapy, Journalism and Media Studies, Information Technology, and Child Development.
“For 30 years, Watoto has cared for nearly 6,000 vulnerable children and empowered over 6,500 women in our communities. We currently care for over 3,000 children in our Watoto villages, including 1,400 young adults. Our goal is to raise them to become leaders who will participate in developing their communities,” Rwotlonyo explained.
While presiding over the graduation Dr Jane Egawu Okowu, the Under Secretary to the Ministry of Education and Sports tasked graduands to prioritise good morals and discipline as they go about practicing the different skills they have gained expertise in to reap from them.
Dr Egawu said it is always a pleasure for her to see young men and women acquire qualifications as evidence that they have successfully completed their courses of study.
“In functions like these, I always talk about the morals when you get out to work. Today we are living in a world where people will say, yes, you have the skills, but if your morals are bad, you would rather keep them aside.”
She hailed the institution’s efforts of complementing the government’s work in scaling the vocational studies numbers, saying skills development is now positioned as a strong pillar in national aspiration.
Ms Egawu said that skills development has gained such strategic prominence in the education sector because of the potential it has to trigger economic growth.
She explained that the government is now implementing the TVET policy of 2019, and recently, the bill which is in waiting to be ascended, advocates for hands-on training and partnership with the private sector and other non-government organisations.
“The government is happy to partner with you because we honestly appreciate the partners involved in the scaling agenda. Investment in TVET is an investment in wealth, and this we know,” she said.
Ms Egawu appreciated the leadership of Watoto Childhood Ministries for the vision to establish the institution and sustain its development over the years to become the great institution it is today.
She hailed the institution for supporting youth in acquiring education, saying it has adopted a competency-based approach to training, and their training is equipped with adequate work competencies and adequate skills to make them employable.
Pastor Edward Mwesigye, the Chancellor of Hope Vocational and Technical Institute (HVTI) shared that despite the difficult times especially the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic which prevented them from holding graduation ceremonies for the last four years, Watoto has been there for the students.
He said from the stories he heard from the graduands, he marvels at how they are already crafting a life for themselves with the skills they have acquired.
“With a vision to raise Godly transformation leaders, our mission is to equip the next generation of leaders with technical knowledge, practical skills, and moral values to become responsible Christians and productive citizens for community transformation,” he said, adding that HVTI must lead the country in defining the knowledge, skills, and vision we need to impact the workplace and contribute to the building of our nation.
According to Ruth Ssenyonjo, the team leader of Education and Sports, Watoto Childcare Ministries, the choice of vocational education the graduands made not only opens the world to them as contributors to Uganda’s development but also as Godly transformational leaders.
“We stand proud of you all and celebrate you for the diligence you have put into your studies. With inspiration, we look forward to the stories you are set out to write as you chart the path of your dreams.”
Ms Ssenyonjo said the day marks the beginning of a lifelong learning process, especially with an ever-evolving world that demands new creations, innovations, and inventions.
She called on them to be proactive and take the lead in in each of the industries God has assigned to them by continuing to learn to be Godly transformational leaders God has called them to be.
The principal, Raymond Fred Buyinza thanked the education ministry for the enactment of the TVET Bill in parliament which will make technical and vocational training better in implementation and management each new day.
He encouraged the graduands to always love and serve God, be contemporary by seeking and adapting new knowledge and skills each new day to keep themselves very relevant to the labour market and consequently be able to provide tangible solutions in real time to the emerging challenges in society.
HVTI has been in existence for 18 years training and equipping children with good morals, character, skills, and competencies to serve communities locally and internationally as Godly transformational leaders and productive citizens.
The institute was accredited by the National Council for Higher Education (NHCE) last year to offer diploma courses and we bless the Lord for this achievement.
The existing blended type of learning approach (working as you study) at HTVI has enabled the institute to achieve a distinct mileage in ensuring highly skilled graduands attributing to their high percentage of alumni absorption in the job market.
Mr Calvin Murungi Kaliba, the head of tertiary education, at Watoto Child Care Ministries, said they are celebrating not just an academic achievement, but the mastery of a set of powerful skills that are the bedrock of progress and innovation.
He said the graduands of technical and vocational disciplines are the ones who will shape the future as they have dedicated countless hours to understanding complex systems solving problems, and refining their craft.
“The world needs the talents you have honed here, and I do not doubt that you are ready to make an extraordinary impact. The technical knowledge you have gained is not just theoretical but practical, tangible, and vital,” he said adding that they have learned how to take on challenges that seem impossible to most, break them down into manageable pieces, and create innovative solutions that push boundaries.
According to Kaliba, skills alone will not define their success but their success, integrity, passion, drive to continuously improve, and ability to think critically will set them apart.
He explained that the world is evolving at an unprecedented rate, and it is one’s expertise, creativity, and adaptability that will help navigate the challenges ahead.
“The most successful professionals are those who see challenges as opportunities. Opportunities to learn. Opportunities to lead. Opportunities to build something new. So, as you stand on the threshold of this new chapter, continue to cultivate a mindset that embraces curiosity, champions innovation, and rises to meet challenges with determination and resilience.”
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