2014

January just breezes through.   I am sure many have made the  move to bring about the necessary changes into their lives. And as always, there will be some of us who are left behind, biting the dust with indecision and procrastination of what to do with the so called ‘ New Year Resolution’.

Last January 31st, the  Chinese celebrated the New Year thus ushering in the year of the Horse; an animal, according to the Chinese belief, that represents grit, determination and an  intolerance to failure, but at the same time   weakened  by  the superficial interest  and the lack of substance in what it does.

Without a doubt each New Year brings with it a new set of challenges.  Current economic developments demand that we need to be more innovative in the way we manage what we do. With competitions getting stiffer,  riding the New Year Horse alone is not sufficient if it is success that we are aiming for in 2014.

As a higher learning institution we are driven by the need to deliver what we have promised to our stakeholders. Nothing else can give us more satisfaction than seeing the contented faces of our students.  What inner sense of jubilation can there be other than knowing that the learning experiences which we provide have transformed our students into better individuals.

Education is about imparting knowledge and experiences. While doing so we try our best to set good standards so that those who come and seek the knowledge that we provide  are able to differentiate  us from the rest of the pack;  in so doing they are convinced that we are better if not the best.  A common mistake is that, many among us are  inclined to think that what we provide is routine. The danger is, when everything is thought to be as routine,  we allow for complacency to creep in.  In the current competitive environment,   complacency can have a catastrophic effect to our existence.

Regardless of what our professions are,  our responsibility is to fulfill what is expected of us. If anything were to fall short of this we must be gallantry enough to tell ourselves that “ I have not done enough and I must do better.” If we were able to at least accept our short comings, we are a much better individuals.  If we have a better understanding of ourselves; our actions are always driven for a higher purpose and they are  filled  with substance,  come what may and God willing, 2014 will be another interesting milestone in our growth.

Happy New Year everyone !