SPEECH BY PROFESSOR EDWIN WAMUKOYA- VICE CHANCELLOR, ZETECH UNIVERSITY DURING THE CAREER DAY AT CHAVAKALI BOYS HIGH SCHOOL,VIHIGA,HELD ON SATURDAY 30TH MAY 2015
- Distinguished guests,
- Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Afternoon
Indeed, today marks a great day as we come together for the benefit of these students who I encourage to make full use of such a rare opportunity to learn all they can about higher education.
Zetech University is pleased to be here today as we understand the need to sharpen young mindsand provide all the necessary information students may need to prepare themselves to join university.
I like to share success stories as they serve as a great tool of inspiration while giving audiences a true picture of what it means to make it in life. Today I will share the story of Zetech University:
Zetech began in 1999 as an IT training centre under the name Zenith Technologies; it was started by the passion and dedication of a determined 22- year old young man, Ken Mbiuki, who was studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Nairobi at that time. Committed to build his business,he grew the centre by enrolling a huge student base and as a result, he decided to transform the IT Centre into a fully blown education facility offering different courses.
Thereafter,Zenith was rebranded to the well-known Zetech College; a college that offered a variety of courses to feed an increasing demand for higher learning education in the country. Today, after hard work, persistence and commitment, we can proudly say Zetech College last year attained full university status having received a Letter of Interim Authority from the Commission for University Education and we have over 7,000 students and four campuses in the country.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As much as this story sheds light on the growth of one of the best universities in the country, it should inspire you to believe that it is up to you to stand out from the crowd and create a good life for yourselves.
At your age, you have youth, energy, the time, the opportunity and guidance from your teachers and parents to help you lay out plans for succeeding in life. It may sound like a cliché, dear students, that the future is waiting for you but this is something I cannot overemphasize.
As a young man or lady, you are able to decide to excel in your exams by putting the effort, asking the right questions and studying effectively in order to excel in your exams. I urge you to use your time well to focus on your education as you decide what career you want to follow after completing school.
These days, as you may well know, it is not easy to join a good institution of higher learning and you have to do well in KSCE to join a good university. At Zetech, like many other universities, we follow set criteria of what marks we can accept depending on the course you want to take, be it Engineering, Media studies, Hospitality, Community Development, among others.
In addition, this fair has enlightened you on the subjects to excel in, with a special focus on maths and languages as they are critical to your overall mark and your application to whichever university you wish to join.
In relation to this, remember that your attitude towards these subjects, your school and your teachers is critical to your success; develop the right attitude and mind set and you will conquer the world.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We all agree that school is not entirely about academics but also about developing ours students’’ talents. At Zetech, we have heavily invested in a talent and development programme that enables our students to identify their gifts and find platforms to display their talents. You may be good at singing, drama, sports, writing among other talents and this is the right time to nurture these abilities as they will help you stand out from all the students in this country.
When you join university, remember to be active in school events and school clubs as these platforms will be of great importance to your career. You will gain leadership and practical skills through these avenues and it will bring great pleasure to you, your family and your institution.
At Zetech, our men and ladies sports teams are doing an excellent job representing us in the national leagues; we are the 2014 Basketball and football men champions. Even in the entertainment area, we have an award-winning drama club that is causing a storm in the drama arena country wide.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me to conclude by calling on all of you to remain focused on your work in and outside the classroom as this escalate you to greater height because the country is looking for young people who stand out in society.
Moreover, once you are done with your final exams or during the holidays, ask your parents or guardians to enroll you in a program that can grow you and enable you to develop life skills
With the few remarks, have a great evening.
Asante
I challenge the students who have participated under the university’s sponsorship to aim for the national title having notably managed to reach the County level, under Zetech College.
In addition I applaud the organizers of this forum for promoting creativity and originality amongst high school students and guiding them in adopting problem solving skills that will drive progress in our society.
Students, I once again salute you for believing in yourselves and in your work and I am certain that you will play a big part in shaping this country’s agenda in the engineering field.
Thank you all for engaging Zetech University, we are here to partner and support you.
Asante