By: Yonis M Jama
SHEIKHS (Somalilandsun) – Youths Educated at the IGAD Sheikh Veterinary School- ISTVS are equipped 100% advantage over other students in securing gainful employment in the country and abroad.
This was stated by the Somaliland minister of Education Prof Mohamed Elmi Gedoole at the ISTVS where he officiated a ceremony graduating 47 diploma students.
The 9th ISTVS graduation ceremony was held on the 12th of July 2015 with a total of 34 students graduated with diplomas in Animal Health Science (DLH) and Livestock Product Development and Entrepreneurship (DLDE). Eighteen (18) and 16 students graduated with Diplomas in DLH and DLDE respectively. Five female students were among the graduates. So far a total of 207 students have graduated from ISTVS of which 36 are female.
The ceremony was attended by high ranking government dignitaries such as the Minister for Education of the Republic of Somaliland (guest of honor) and the Minister for Planning. Other dignitaries included the Director General of the Ministry of Livestock, the Italian cooperation representative, the regional representative of Terra Nuova, the governor of Sahil region, the mayors of Berbera and Sheikh, representatives of partner universities (Makerere University and Mekelle University).
About ISTVS
IGAD Sheikh Technical Veterinary School and Reference Centre (ISTVS) is a regional institution located in Sheikh, in the highlands of the Sahil region (Somaliland). Its aim is to provide pastoralists in the Region of the Horn of Africa with better veterinary services. STVS began as a project in 2002 with international funding (European Union, Danish Government, Italian Cooperation), implemented by Terra Nuova and under the auspices of African Union, Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources.
Now, a well-established tertiary education institution, it operates a fully-fledged regime with modern academic facilities within a state-of-the-art socially interactive environment. Affiliated to Makerere University (Uganda) since 2009, ISTVS has built strong institutional and academic links with peer institutions of higher learning both within the region and at international level. The school was recently adopted by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) as one of its specialized regional institutions and henceforth is referred as ISTVS. For more details visit http://www.stvs-edu.org
