At a graduation ceremony officiated by president Silanyo at the main Somaliland university where 862 candidates earned their bachelor degrees
By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – Education being the cornerstone of our nation’s Development and road to alleviating poverty, it is without doubt a honour for me to participate in this event.
This was stated by the Somaliland president Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo during the 13th graduation ceremony at Hargeisa University where 862 candidates were awarded bachelor degrees after successfully conclusion of studies in the various faculties at the institution.
“I hereby extend my congratulations to the youthful citizens who join our national workforce with much needed knowledge for their diligence and perseverance leasing to graduation” said president Silanyo adding that accolades are also due parents and lecturers who made the process a success.
The president who stressed on the fact that education is the cornerstone of his administration’s national development policy as exemplified by the implementation of free primary school education pledged to continue pursuing avenues that shall extend free schooling to secondary and even university levels “Inshallah” 
At the 13th graduation ceremony at the main Somaliland university based in the capital Hargeisa where witnesses included cabinet ministers, political parties leadership, legislators, parents, students and ordinary citizens, the head of state personally conferred degrees to the top students from the variety us faculties.
Though not a student, elder Abdikarim Hussein “Abdi Warabe” was the first to receive from president Silanyo his honourary PH.D. conferred upon him by the university of Hargeisa for services to the nation spanning several decades.
Elder Abdi Warabe is an over 100 years old member of Guurri, the Upper chamber of parliament and credited with leading reconciliation talks between formerly warring clans that ensued with the proclamation of Somaliland’s withdrawal from Union with Somalia in 1991 and subsequent self-rule and peaceful co-existence which he continues to oversee at his Guurti chambers perch.
Upon his PH.D. award Elder Abdi Warabe joined the podium where president Silanyo assisted by the state minister for education Mohamed Aden Elmi who was master of ceremonies and HARGEISA university dons went on to confer degrees to top faculty students.
Most of Import at the function was award of bachelor degree to a physically handicapped gra whom the university of Hargeisa management was full of praise for his delignecy in competing with his able bodied colleagues some of whom he beat.
After the graduation exercise president Ahmed Mahmud Silanyo inspected several Development projects ongoing at the University where he also promised to actively participate in anyway upon request by the institution’s board of trustees, management and students. 
Copyright: Somalilandsun, 2016. www.somalilandsun.com
