Representing President Yoweri Museveni at the ceremony, Alupo emphasized the importance of aligning academic training with the needs of the private sector.
“As government attracts more investments, the demand for a skilled and productive workforce will also increase. Students must be responsive to the rapidly changing global economy, which is mainly driven by science and technology,” she said.
A total of 454 students, including 256 males and 198 females, graduated from faculties of Education, Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Management Sciences, and Computing and Information Sciences.
The ceremony was held under the theme “The Beacon @10: A Journey of Impact.”
Alupo reaffirmed the NRM Government’s commitment to promoting science and technology as a driver of economic development and highlighted the party’s education policies, including one primary school per parish, one secondary school per sub-county, and a technical school per district.
Currently, 90% of parishes have primary schools, and 80% of these are government-aided; 90% of sub-counties have secondary schools, 67% government-aided; and all major regions now have public universities.
She commended Lira University for offering relevant courses that equip graduates with marketable skills, stressing that unemployment among youth can be addressed if higher education institutions match curricula to private sector needs.
“The public sector has only 469,216 jobs for a population of 46 million. The greatest number of graduates must therefore seek employment in the private sector,” Alupo noted.
Highlighting government efforts to create a conducive environment for investment, she said: “Now that we have enough electricity, good roads, and peace, government is prioritising industrialization to cut down on excessive imports that leave our own children unemployed.
More industries mean more jobs and development.”
Alupo also encouraged graduates to avoid reckless lifestyles, urging them to use their education to contribute to industrialization, technological advancement, and societal transformation.
The Chancellor, Justice Benjamin Odoki, praised President Museveni for supporting the university’s infrastructure and emphasized the institution’s commitment to quality higher education and community transformation.
The Minister for Higher Education, Dr. JC Muyingo, commended the university management for steady growth and effective program implementation, while Vice Chancellor Prof Jasper Ogwal-Okeng requested further government support for student and staff housing and road tarmacking within the university.
