By Patricia Turyahebwa,
ENTEBBE
The Vice President of Uganda, Rtd Maj. Jessica Alupo has emphasized the student leaders to adopt dialogue as a go – to approach for resolving issues they encounter in their day-to-day lives.
Alupo made the call while addressing student leaders undergoing a two-week Patriotism training program at Nkumba University.
“Use your platforms to speak your mind and consider all the problems facing students,because when you are at the university and you are a leader,strikes are not a solution but they can only make you lose time and property of the university therefore dialogue with the top authorities always value dialogue as the best solution to every problems and you will make a big difference.” Said Alupo
According to the Vice President, this approach will enable student leaders to address challenges in a more constructive, sustainable and ultimately contributing to a harmonious and productive academic environment.
She also advised them to utilize their positions of influence constructively, making a positive impact on their peers and communities.
She encouraged them to harness their leadership roles to drive meaningful change, promote unity, and foster a culture of responsibility and excellence.
“Use your positions for the good on all your peers,you should be the bridge and a link while working closely with your institutions remember it is the difference you make in the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life you live,” Alupo noted.
Furthermore, Alupo urged the student leaders to use social media responsibly emphasizing that social media can be a valuable tool for earning a living, rather than merely wasting time scrolling through content and sharing malicious messages. For instance, the young leaders were advised to leverage social media platforms for entrepreneurial pursuits, education, and personal growth, rather than simply using them for entertainment.
“Today, the youth want to be on WhatsApp and other social media platforms day in day out and because of too much love for social media, the productivity levels have gone down. I would like to remind you that it is good to be social media to get news,market your produce but it is necessary to direct our energy to production,” VP Alupo explained.
The Vice President commended the trainees for their thirst for knowledge and implored them to share it with others without discrimination.
She thanked the Commissioner of National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps ( NSPC) Hellen Seku for the hard work encouraging other young girls to borrow a leaf from her.
The training program which was organised by the National Secretariat for Patriotism Corps ( NSPC) under the stewardship pf Commissioner Hellen Seku and State House Uganda, commenced on January 3, 2025, with the aim of equipping student leaders with the necessary leadership skills and knowledge to become informed and patriotic leaders of tomorrow.
The training emphasizes the importance of civic responsibility and encourages young leaders to actively participate in building a better future for Uganda.
President Museveni and First Lady and Minister of Education Janet Museveni will officially close the training on January 17.
