Fokothi fights to repair dented image

LINEO MABEKEBEKE

MASERU – Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP)’s management has been directed to facilitate a forensic investigation into past killings of students, and all students instructed to abide by the school’s set rules and regulations and code of conduct.

The school, popularly known as Fokothi, indicated in a press statement released this week that from now on any misconduct will not be tolerated but will be dealt with in line with the same regulations by the management.

The institution’s Governing Council sat in September 9, in a special meeting called specifically to discuss issues of ill-treatment of incoming students – an issue that has haunted the institution for a long time. At its meeting, the Governing Council made solutions condemning the barbaric subculture that has tainted the image of Lerotholi Polytechnic and resulted in the deaths of several students and, recently, the disappearance of two returning students.

The statement further shows that the council condemns in the strongest possible terms the ill-treatment of one student by another. In this regard, the council instructed the institution’s management to take decisive measures to ensure that ring leaders and perpetrators of the illegal acts are brought to book through internal students disciplinary process and that the unfortunate acts of misconduct must stop.

The management is further instructed to introduce a formal dress code which portrays and promotes a good image of the institution. This was prompted by the realisation that some students come on campus wearing shabby clothes and often hide behind the dress code they put on while on campus that is not in any way characteristic of the students.

Government, law enforcement agencies, members of the judiciary, parents, Lerotholi Polytechnic alumni, civic societies, the media fraternity, landlords and representatives of the public have also been called upon to join hands in the fight against this crime.

“It is the Council’s view that this matter concerning ill-treatment of students is a crime which has to be escalated to the national platform,” they noted. New students are expected to the school on Monday, September 20.