Tufton urges graduates to remain positive, committed

Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer

PORT ANTONIO, Portland:

DR CHRISTOPHER Tufton, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries last Thursday, urged graduates of the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland, to remain positive and committed to their fields of endeavour.

Tufton was guest speaker at the institution's graduating and awards ceremony. CASE is also celebrating 100 years of agriculture education.

"Today belongs to you men and women. Application is very important and I am therefore recommending that, as you go along, you will continue the learning process, which will allow you to better apply yourselves in the work- place," Tufton said.

He added: "Yes it is important to have a degree in whatever discipline, but more importantly, it is how you apply and understand that process, which makes you competitive in your profession."

More than 350 graduates were presented at the 15th annual graduation ceremony which was held under the theme, 'Perpetuating the legacy of our heritage institution 1910-2010.'

One hundred and twenty graduates were presented from the agriculture- based programmes, 100 from the education programme, 40 from business education programmes, and 17 from the hotel and tourism management programme.

Interim president of CASE, Dr Victor Watt, said CASE's programmes have diversified and are still of a high quality, attracting scores of applicants each year. He told the gathering that more than 3,500 graduates have benefited from CASE programmes over the past 10 years.

He said that figure represents an average of 350 students annually. "Our success rate is at 80 per cent and most of the remaining 20 per cent of students usually complete their courses in one to two years. CASE must endeavour to eliminate waste, corruption, and mismanagement at all levels, so as to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Graduates, today is the day you will leave CASE. You have joined the long list of distinguished alumni of this noble institution."

CASE is a merger of the Passley Gardens Teachers' College and the College of Agriculture. Both institutions were joined in 1995, after the Ministry of Education and the Manpower Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister, accepted recommendations from the Sherlock Report that both adjacent institutions be joined to become CASE.