Metropolitan, MOET award top achievers

THATO RAMAFU

Maseru – The Ministry of Education and Training Lesotho in conjunction with Metropolitan Lesotho hosted an awards ceremony for best performing Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary School (LGCSE) and Junior Certificate (JC) students at Avani Maseru last Friday.

Top LGCSE learners walked away with trophies and laptops, while M10 000 maloti prize money was handed over to secondary schools whose learners made it into the top 5 at JC or at LGCSE. There was also M20 000 on offer to secondary schools whose learners emerged at the top at both JC and LGCSE to finance school projects.

A total of 56 students were awarded. Speaking at the event, Managing Director Metropolitan Lesotho Mamello Phomane said as a company they feel it is their duty to give back to communities they live in because without those communities they would not be in business.

‘’Our vision as a company is to provide solutions that enhance the financial well-being of Basotho and for us education is a key part of Basotho getting that financial well-being. Honourable minister, we are very passionate about education and we have even created specific products for teachers called Teachers Provider. We have also created specific products for parents and their children called My Future Provider to show how passionate we are about education. We have created these products because we understand and share this journey,” she said.

Phomane said they are proud to celebrate with top performers but while at it, they also want to honor parents because they walked every mile with the children through lunch provision, transport fares, uniforms and many more.

“I also want to pay homage to teachers; there is no job quite as hard as teaching. Today, ladies and gentlemen (teachers) is a testament to your patience and hours you have put into lesson planning, the teaching and marking,” she said.

Phomane congratulated top achievers and those who will be going for higher learning, advising them to “take time to know yourself, take time to figure out who you are, take time to ask yourself how you want to shape your life”.

“This is important because when you make decisions they need to be true to who you are, you will need to choose to study what you love and what you enjoy. You will need to choose a career that speaks to who you are because it is now about your own life,” she added.

Lastly, she urged the girl students not to undermine themselves to make others comfortable, strongly advising them to make decisions that are beneficial to them and ensure every choice they make represents them well as women. “Show up, speak up, raise your hand and ask the question that is in your head. Ask yourself, what would you do if you were not afraid, and then go and do it even if you are afraid,” she said.

Honourable Mokoto Hloaele said it is in the government’s strategic plan to afford inclusive, quality education since it is everyone’s right because it is only through it that Lesotho can become an empowered nation, mentally, physically and emotionally with citizens living together in harmony, taking pride in itself nationally and globally.

He says going into the future, the learners are entrusted to help fight diseases and all other things that have for a long time tormented Basotho. He added they are expected to be Lesotho’s representatives at global level in their different fields of study. Lastly, he expressed his ministry’s appreciation for the students for making the government and the nation proud.