Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, many universities have been trying their best to protect themselves and their students. But segregation of graduands? Nay!
There are better ways to do this other than this method. The convocation could be done batch by batch, faculty by faculty or merging two small faculties following the Covid-19 protocol. Every school have at least a hall that can contain 1000 people. Following the Covid-19 protocol, we can have 500 people in the hall with ease but schools have decided only first-class students will have their convocation physically. Should this be allowed to go on without us voicing our opinions?
The convocation day is meant to be a day filled with so much euphoria. It’s the day many get to celebrate the hard work they have put into their degrees. The first thing these schools didn’t think of is self-esteem. It’s supposed to be a day of joy for many students, especially those that didn’t celebrate matriculation properly because they are looking forward to their convocation to celebrate with their friends, colleagues and family members. Every institution should give every student equal chances to get the attention and applause they deserve when they are called upon on the much-awaited day. The convocation in itself is a defining moment in every student’s life and the schools that nurtured them should not deprive them of it. What becomes of other students when they are asked about that important moment?
Furthermore, these institutions pride themselves on being able to prepare students for society morally and academically. Most people enter universities young and still trying to find their paths through life. Being in the school environment shapes the lives of everyone and moulds them into what they convocate as. When schools overlook other aspects and focus on just the grades what becomes of other important factors that make a proper citizen? Are schools admitting that they have failed the other students? That they have made them dedicate years of their life only for their efforts to not be recognised? Regardless of the results, if the school does not celebrate and acknowledge the efforts of her student does that place still qualify as a school? Is the school saying only first-class students are worthy of the grandiose gesture?
In addition to this, convocation is not a tradition that has to be preserved for the sake of a few. Every university should aim to preserve the tradition of putting everyone together to welcome them(matriculation) and putting them together to announce their readiness for the workforce and society. If the school does not present its students as eloquently as they should, doesn’t it show the incapability of the school as well?
Undoubtedly, convocation is not just for the graduating students. The mace, the music, the traditional regalia(gowns and caps) and a large number of other merry ceremonial fixings are symbolic tokens of the University’s unique method of joining where the graduates are with what has brought them thus far so they can get a decent fix on where they might be going. It is definitely a moment of self-evaluation for even the current students to plan what they want to make of their convocation day.
Lastly, their parents won’t believe they tried their best. Not everyone will graduate with first-class and the University is meant to embrace all of that. When it doesn’t, parents of the graduating students will be disappointed in them. The ceremony is not really worth it if part students are celebrated when every one of them strived to do well.
We hope schools stop this soon and find better ways to have their convocation ceremony other than First class physical, other classes virtual.
