“Don’t let corruption steal your diploma” – EAIMS graduates warned

Graduates must stay awake to the dangers of corruption and refuse to “sleep” under its influence, the Director of Gulu Central High School has warned.

Speaking as chief guest at the 12th graduation ceremony of the East Africa Institute of Management Science (EAIMS), Prof. Dr. David Onen Otto issued a firm call for vigilance against the misuse of public funds and urged young professionals to actively monitor government project accountability.

“No more sleep in corruption, and I urge you to be diligent workers who will impact the community and add value to institutions,” Onen declared.

“Remember, Uganda and many countries are facing corruption and do not participate in any corruption scandal when you join the employment world,” he added.

The director also highlighted a critical gap in the region that demand for higher education far outstrips available institutions.

He praised EAIMS for filling that void by spreading access to practical learning and restoring hope through human capital development.

“Any institution investing in education is constructing the future of society in this region but corruption must have no place,” he said.

Onen reminded graduates that their success came at the cost of commitment, discipline, sacrifice, and perseverance through financial hardship and fatigue.

He further noted that as the graduates enter a competitive, demanding world, he urged them to become entrepreneurs and create their own jobs, adding value and accepting competition while emphasising practical training.

“The skills you have acquired are needed to save the world,” he said.

Raskara Ronny Valencia, who earned a national certificate in journalism and media studies, described media personnel as watchdogs for the public.

“If your name appears in a corruption scandal, it must be exposed as a lesson to the community and I will not involve myself in corruption but be a role model in fighting it,” he said.

Akwero Gladys Hope, a diploma graduate in accounting and finance, pledged that she will use the knowledge gained profitably.

“With the knowledge I got from here, I will ensure my work is clean with clear accountability,” she told tndNews, Uganda.

Atube Collins Bolingo, who completed a Diploma in Procurement and Logistics Management, called on fellow graduates to fight corruption freely in the workplace and promote procurement ethics.

“Let us not accept corruption in our lives. Just like the President of Uganda, whose biggest fight targets corruption, we must embrace and fight alongside him,” he echoed.

“Education is the pillar of everything, and a family that does not educate itself is no more or less dead,” Bolingo added.

The ceremony concluded with a collective resolve that education is not merely a path to employment but a weapon against the poverty and war legacies of Northern Uganda.