Fokothi students in a fix

A group of 35 students enrolled in the architectural and power systems programmes at Lerotholi Polytechnic are grappling with a financial crisis as their courses remain unsponsored by the government.

These programmes, introduced only last year as degree offerings, have left students in a precarious situation.

During their orientation at the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year, the students were assured that their sponsorships from the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) were being processed and that the matter would be resolved soon.

However, as months passed with no updates, students found themselves waiting indefinitely.

“After the first semester ended, we were told to wait for the next one,” a student explained.

By the end of the academic year, it was revealed by the college management that architecture students would not receive sponsorship because the programme had not been accredited by the Council on Higher Education.

“This news was devastating, especially since many of us come from financially strained backgrounds and relied on the school’s promises,” the student said on condition of anonymity, for fear of victimisation by the authorities.

Power systems students are also in the same predicament.

During theReporter’s visit to the college on Monday this week,we learnt that the management had submitted their lists of eligible students in 2023 late, after the NMDS deadline, resulting in a lost opportunity for financial support.

“Throughout the year, management repeatedly assured us that everything would be fine, which led many to sacrifice exploring alternative options at other institutions, such as the National University of Lesotho or Limkokwing University, where sponsorship might have been more reliable,” the same student said.

Many students, despite facing these hurdles, chose not to apply to other institutions, holding on to the hope of promised changes while their peers transferred elsewhere.

“We love our course, and it’s difficult for us to just drop it,” another student insisted.

Yet another student said lecturers have been supportive, and have advised the students to secure their own tools and laptops.

“This year, having a laptop is mandatory, unlike in the past.

“The lecturers have advised us to seek permission to seek access the computer labs for 24-hour use,” he said.

The students told this publication that while the school waived first-year fees of around M45,000 per student per annum, this relief does not address the main issue.

“We did not come to Lerotholi Polytechnic to complete just one year; we intended to finish our entire course,” the students emphasized.

Now, the students face the daunting prospect of funding their remaining three years without support from NMDS or the institution itself.

They are frustrated at having been misled by the college about the availability of sponsorship.

“If we had known from the beginning that no sponsorship would be available, many of us would have opted for other courses or colleges,” they explained.

Burdened with high fees and the costs of materials such as laptops, and studio equipment, the students are calling on the management to assist them in securing sponsorships.

They noted that laptops, which cost several thousand maloti, are necessary for architectural design and modelling software,.

“Given the financial burden this places on us, we are actively seeking sponsorship and financial aid for the upcoming semester.

“It is unjust that we are left to face the consequences of the school’s failure to meet NMDS deadlines and resolve accreditation issues. We need the school to help us find a solution,” they urged.

The students are adamant that those who provided false hope must step up to assist in resolving this crisis.

“We are grateful for the waiver of some debts, but we cannot complete our education without further help.”

The student representatives wrote to both the ministry of finance and development planning as well as of education and training on September 20, 2024 requesting for sponsorship for the 35 stranded students at Lerotholi Polytechnic.

“The institution must pay our tuition in the programmes of our choice since we came under the impression that we are going to be sponsored.

“We feel the institution has the responsibility to ensure we get the education we deserve as they admitted us to our various programmes knowing the situation.

“Our parents do not have the financial muscle to fund our studies. We could have applied to other institutions had we known the severity of the situation early on,” the letter to the two ministries indicated.

It added: “Accountability is clear and personal,” as our motto goes, and whoever is responsible for admitting us to this institution knowing the issues it is facing should be liable to take responsibility of securing sponsorships for us.

“Given the urgency of this matter, we humbly request the ministry of finance to assist us in resolving this matter because lectures will commence next (this) week.”

On his part, the rector of Lerotholi Polytechnic, Tlali Spirit, outlined the changes the college is undergoing in response to government policy shifts regarding scholarships.

He said the decision to reduce funding for students studying abroad has pushed local institutions to step up and develop their own degree programmes, “which is a positive step towards self-sustainability in higher education”.

Lerotholi Polytechnic had a strategic goal to transition into a university, which necessitated the introduction of degree programmes, he explained. This included courses in architecture, power systems, computer engineering, irrigation and drainage, and electronics and communication.

“From early 2022, Lerotholi Polytechnic focused on developing these programmes. While some were introduced successfully by the end of the year, others were still incomplete.

“After designing the programmes, we benchmarked against other universities and submitted them to the Council on Higher Education (CHE) for accreditation. We sought permission from CHE to advertise the programmes to attract potential students.

“While NMDS was approached for sponsorship, we required proof of accreditation before committing funds. Accreditation has been delayed, and NMDS adopted a stance that they would not sponsor students until this was resolved,” Spirit said.

He pointed out that for the architecture programme, CHE indicated that a studio must be built before accreditation could be granted. This has created additional pressure on the college to expedite construction.

“In the meantime, NMDS is waiting for accreditation and therefore it is not sponsoring the programme.

“As for the power system students, their course is accredited but NMDS says it cannot sponsor them, and will only start with this year’s first years.

“It was only last week when we wrote to them for the 17 second-year students to be included in the gaps of students who didn’t take admission, so we are awaiting a response,” he added.

Efforts to get a comment from NMDS were unsuccessful as its acting director, Thabo Ntoi’s phone rang unanswered until the time of going to press.

However, the chief executive officer of CHE, Dr Litṥabako Ntoi, disputes this.

Dr Ntoi on Tuesday this week said it is not true that architecture and power system subjects are not accredited.

“We do not accredit courses only if they do not meet the required standards and their quality is below par. 

“There are many schools that offer courses that are not accredited, and Fokothi is not one of them,” she further stated.