LCE withholds students’ results as fees impasse ignites demonstrations

MOSA MAOENG

MASERU – Authorities at the Lesotho College of Education (LCE) have postponed the release of results for students who have not settled outstanding fees.

This includes some in their final year.

This follows a decision by the school to raise fees in 2023, which met opposition from the government, specifically the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS), citing an inability to accommodate the increased fees within its budget. The fee increase has directly affected all NMDS-sponsored students both at the Thaba-Tseka and Maseru campuses, resulting in a protest at both campuses. In an interview with Public Eye this week, Pontšo Konyama, a final-year student awaiting graduation, said the majority of students rely on NMDS sponsorship because their families are poor.

Konyama said she cannot afford even minor expenses in her daily life, let alone the purported M6, 000 debt she owes to the school. She stressed the financial strain faced by her family, where she serves as the primary breadwinner, expressing concerns about the dim prospects of graduating under these circumstances. The former President of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) at the Maseru Campus, Lempe Maraisane, said a strike commenced earlier this week in response to the situation.

Maraisane explained the impasse between the school and the government regarding fee increases, with the government asserting its inability to cover the escalated costs.

The school, however, insists that students bear the burden of settling outstanding fees, leading to a breakdown in communication between students and school management due to the unilateral decision to increase fees.

“The students have left the campus and gone home; I am not sure of the situation at the Thaba-Tseka campus. We even sought assistance from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, and the Social Cluster in Parliament. We are hoping to get the assistance that we need. I am one of the people impacted, as I will not graduate if results are not published,” Maraisane said. 

Lekoama Lekoama, the outgoing Chairperson of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) at the Thaba-Tseka campus, also spoke with this publication last week. He said in 2023, the college implemented new fees despite opposition from the government. Defying the government’s objection, the college went ahead with its decision to raise fees. Ultimately, when students expected to receive their results, they were informed about outstanding fees, which the government had already indicated it could not cover. “This has caused a huge problem as students have resorted to striking. NDMS has not intervened, as they had stated in the beginning that they would not be able to pay for the increased fees. To date, there has not been any meeting between the school and students as management has not changed their mind with regards to the increased fees,” Lekoama said.

As outlined in the letter dated March 8, 2024 from the school’s management, subsequent to the introduction of the new fee framework ratified by the College Council effective from the 2023 academic year, the NMDS has failed to remit full fees as stipulated for each programme. “Engagements with NMDS and other relevant offices that have been undertaken to rectify the position and ensure full payment of fees have not yielded any positive results up to now. Therefore, NMDS-sponsored students are informed that they will owe the college the difference in the fees paid for the 2023 academic year.

“Concerned students are advised to settle the balance of the fees remaining, depending on the programme they were enrolled in, so as to avoid further actions against them. Students are required to note the following clauses of the College Students Financial Regulations that are applicable to this matter,” read the letter.

The letter also stipulated that all students bear the responsibility of promptly settling their financial obligations to the college. In the event that a student leaves the college without settling the requisite fees, including outstanding fines or returning library books issued to them, their results and certificate will be withheld until the outstanding fees are cleared.

Last week, this reporter reached out to the management of LCE in Maseru seeking clarification on the issue but was directed to the Thaba-Tseka campus management, where no assistance was provided. However, when Public Eye contacted the Thaba-Tseka management on Monday of this week, the reporter was informed that they would not comment on the matter and advised her to contact the management at the Maseru campus, instead.