Won Ateker Paapa Me Kumam  Encourages Graduates to Promote Development Through Education

By Peterson Hiirya.

Kumam Cultural Leader Commends Government for Expanding Higher Education
Won Ateker Paapa Me Kumam Raphael Otaya, the cultural leader of the Kumam people, has commended the Government of Uganda for expanding access to higher education and urged graduates to use their knowledge and skills to transform their communities.

Speaking in an interview following the graduation of Kumam students at Uganda Management Institute (UMI) Mbale Campus, Otaya described education as a powerful tool for economic empowerment, leadership and national development.

“I want to begin by thanking the government of Uganda for allowing citizens to acquire higher education like the one being awarded at Uganda Management Institute Mbale branch,” he said.

The cultural leader encouraged graduates to become change agents in their workplaces and communities, emphasizing that education is an investment every community must embrace.

“Education is power. It is an investment that every community must embrace,” he noted.

Otaya urged the Kumam community to continue pursuing higher education in institutions across Uganda and abroad in order to build skilled manpower capable of driving development in the sub-region and the country at large.

He also praised the country’s leadership for supporting education opportunities and appealed to institutions of higher learning to continue expanding access to quality education.

The Paramount Chief, who months ago announced 12 State House scholarships specifically for first-year science students from the Kumam community to support their university education, expressed happiness that more of his subjects were taking up higher education

In addition, the Kumam Cultural Heritage (KUCH) institution has rolled out its own university tuition support programme to sponsor 18 more students.

Otaya said his vision is to see more Kumam people graduate, upgrade their academic qualifications, and take up key responsibilities in government, private institutions, and community leadership.

He expressed happiness that many Kumam youth are embracing further studies and upgrading their academic levels, saying this aligns with the broader vision of the Kumam Cultural Heritage institution to promote education and community transformation.