BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE- Prime Minister Cleopas Sipho Dlamini has commended the Eswatini Medical Christian University(EMCU) and the Africa Continent Mission for their effort to establish a medical school at the institution.
The Prime Minister has been speaking during the university’s 6th graduation ceremony held today.
His Excellency said, there are important Eswatini Higher Education Council standards to be met but would like to believe that it will not be long before the Minister of Education and Training advises the Cabinet that all is in order for full accreditation of the programme.
He said it was his ardent hope that the institution will develop to become one of the leading institutions in Africa.
“I would like to congratulate staff and students for their hard work. The graduates will soon be joining the field of work. Entering the job market is quite a challenge these days. I, therefore, wish the Class of 2022 well as they set out to begin their journey into the future,” he said.
In addition to that, The Prime Minister said he has no doubt that the graduates have been empowered with skills and the mindset to deal with the challenges that beset our Kingdom in the health sector and other areas of development.
“As we are all aware, there is an increasing demand for access to higher education. The government is pleased that the University is making its contribution to meet this demand. I am told that, to date, the University has produced over 1 000 graduates. Today, we are witnessing the graduation of close to 200 young men and women,” he said.
Worth noting is that the Government would have overtime assured students that action is being taken to minimise the disruption of teaching and learning due to the late release of personal allowances.
“We are disturbed by reports of students who are victims of crime in the neighbourhood. I would urge the responsible Ministry to make the appropriate adjustment on the Agreement of Lease to make it possible for the donors to construct dormitories on the leased land. This is important for the security of the students, particularly the girl-child,” he said.
In closing the PM said it was encouraging that the University was now up-to-date with the submission of Audited Financial Statements.
To this end, the Government, through the Ministry of Finance, has written off the tax (Pay As You Earn) debt of the University. The institution must, however, ensure that non-compliance does not happen again.
