Students at university and tertiary institutions usually spend a bigger percentage of their time and resources on their respective professional careers.
However, there is still a need to appreciate and value culture as a crucial part of society to help groom professionals that value the different society norms.
The university gathers students from different regions and countries as academicians who seek to become professionals and will thereafter rejoin society where they need to respect the different culture and society norms.
As such, Dr Charles Kayigiriza, a University Council Member and Chairperson Board of Planning and development at Ndejje University advised the students to create harmony by aligning with societal norms.
“It will be very hard for one to work with people whose culture, society norms and settings are not appreciated. The students should learn to identify with the different cultures and engage and learn to respect the diverse cultures in our society,” he said.
In Kayigiriza’s opinion, students should also learn to interest themselves in activities that promote the different cultural values as one way of promoting talent.
“We are witnessing very good dancers; musicians among other talents that can help the students get to better heights. You can advance in music on top of your respective professions,’’ he added.
The annual University galas that have run for the last 10 years have been a centre for talent identification and grooming. The students do learn skills outside the normal lecture room skills that help them shape their respective future in World that has become global and demanding.
“We have our former student Ms Sandra Nabaggala who excelled in appreciating nature and competed for the Eastern Region Ms Tourism. She is the 1st Runners-up for the Eastern Ms Tourism and is actively involved in talent identification and promotion on top of her professional career as a Journalist,” Dr Mary Wanda Mutyaba the Academic Registrar Ndejje University adds.
Mr Emmanuel Makoha, a second year engineering student in an interview with the Daily Monitor on Saturday said the cultural gala brings back the home memories and is one way of refreshing the body and brains from the daily academic work. I was able to see and appreciate the diverse cultures including that of the Kalenjin from Kenya. The Kalenjin share the male circumcision culture with my home area in Bugisu, he said.
Rwenzuru region won the 10th Ndejje University Cultural gala with 273 points followed by Baganda at 267 points, Basoga at 265 points in a competition that attracted the Langi, Banyoro/ Batoro, Bamasaba, Bagwere, Kigezi, Banyankole, Ateso, S. Sudanese, Kalenjin, Rwandese, West Nile and Acholi regional groupings.
