By Tšeliso Tšosane
A cloud of uncertainty and anxiety is hovering over 200 National University of Lesotho (NUL) students who are stranded for sponsorship.
They are now pleading with the government’s tertiary sponsorship arm the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) to come to their rescue.
Those feeling the pinch of being side lined from the government sponsorship are the under graduate students who are in the Faculty of Humanities. They are studying Bachelor of Arts in Humanities, Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Public Ethics, Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counselling and Bachelor of Arts in Theology.
Others who are being negatively affected by lack of financial support are in the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education.
The dilemma is a result of NUL admitting more than the quota of students to be sponsored by the NMDS in those areas of studies.
The NUL admitted 2500 for the academic year 2021/2022 exceeding the 1620 who were earmarked for sponsorship by the NMDS.
One of the affected students, Thato Matsoso, who is studying for Bachelor of Arts in Humanities, last week said since they realised that their sponsorship was not forthcoming, they attempted to hold talks with the NMDS.
Matsoso said it was at that meeting with the NMDS where they were informed that the list of students’ names submitted by the NUL exceeded the number of learners to be financed, making it impossible for them to be in line for the year’s academic sponsorship.
“After the publication of admissions lists from NMDS, my name did not appear both on admitted lists and waiting lists. So I did not quit from school and we wrote a letter to the National Assembly seeking intervention. Legislator Moshoeshoe Fako was assigned to attend to our plea only to inform us later that the matter would not be dealt with immediately,” Matsoso said.
But on Wednesday this week, Fako could only say he had advised the disgruntled students to follow proper procedures and submit their plea in writing to the National Assembly Clerk.
Advised by school colleagues, Matsoso explained that they requested the university to allow them a tuition fee waiver in order to enable them continue with their studies for this year. He said they suggested that they be given preference in the next academic year when learners are considered for financial support.
To date, the students are unable to register for the new semester as their examination results are being withheld by the institution.
“We are in a difficult situation here at school. We don’t have enough resources to enable us to learn effectively. We are desperately in need of equipment such as lap tops, data, rental money and food for our survival. Our (examination) results are currently withheld by the university,” Matsoso said.
The student representative council (SRC) president, Tumo Tsanyane, said the situation was a result of the university delaying to publish a list of students admitted for learning at the school. That, he noted, put the students in a predicament.
“Due to Covid-19 the university was forced to open classes late, so all admitted students were allowed to come to school. When the NMDS realised the list of students who were successful for sponsorship, some of those admitted at the school were left out,” said Tsanyane said.
He confirmed that the NMDS had only indicated it would support 1620 contrary to the 2500 admitted by the NUL for the first academic year.
“This is situation is very disheartening to the stranded students because they are experiencing some hardships in maintaining themselves. I promise to bring the matter to the attention of the Vice- Chancellor,” Tsanyane added.
Reacting to the impasse, the NMDS director Florinah Rakeketsi told this publication that she was in a position to guarantee “if those students will be awarded sponsorship next year based on the law that guides how students’ funding for sponsorship is administered
by NMDS council.”
The council, she warned, is mandated to recommend to the minister of planning as to the selection of students qualifying for sponsorship.
She added that the is a template that stipulates how bursaries are given to students based on the entry requirements of the programme of study.
“Each and every year students apply to many tertiary schools of their choices so as a result this leaves some space for others. There is also a waiting list where eligible students receive bursaries to fill up those spaces,” she said.
She was hopeful that those stranded students still have a right to be considered for sponsorship next year if NUL can add them to the list of eligible students to get sponsorship next year on condition they passed examinations.
When he assumed duties as the new Vice-Chancellor of NUL IN August last year, Professor Isaac Olusola Fajana, noted his intentions to pursue a communication driven peace strategy which require that all conflicts are handled effectively at the preventative stage. He also said he planned to introduce a strategy that will enable students to enjoy a conducive environment for learning, including a friendly but firm approach by staff members in teaching.
