Corrupt cabal soiling varsity’s good name
By Editorial
THE National University of Lesotho (NUL) is again embroiled in yet another storm after a lecturer in the Faculty of Social Sciences was this week charged with corruption for allegedly receiving bribes to make students pass.
The police say the lecturer allegedly demanded bribes of between M1 000 and M2 000 each from students.
While the court is still to pronounce its verdict, the case seems to suggest there is a corrupt cabal at Roma that is bent on tarnishing the good image of the university.
Last October, the university said it had unearthed an elaborate fraud case in which a student was awarded a degree she did not deserve.
The student graduated after she sought a High Court order compelling the university to allow her to be capped.
The student had apparently failed six subjects.
The police said then they were investigating cases in which NUL officials had tampered with students’ academic results.
NUL pro-vice chancellor Professor Mafa Sejanamane has in the past also acknowledged there were allegations of “fraudulent manipulation of students’ records”.
In November last year, another student publicly alleged she had been made to fail her exams after she spurned sexual advances by her lecturer.
Only God knows how many other students have been subjected to similar callous acts.
It is a given that these stories have the potential to seriously besmirch NUL’s good name in the eyes of the public; which is sad.
The media, like a mirror, merely reflects the reality on the ground at Roma, no matter how unsavoury the image might be.
We however, want to give credit to NUL management.
They have not sought to sweep the dirt under the carpet.
Suspected criminals have either been suspended or charged in courts of law.
We applaud this stance. In fact this is how things should be.
A candid admission that there is indeed a problem is the first step in addressing this challenge.
We also acknowledge that NUL is indeed a large community. It is natural that there are bound to be flawed personalities among the lot.
But when everything has been said and done, NUL must ensure that such flawed personalities are weeded out, pronto.
These “quacks” have no place at a university.
We feel so strongly about the happenings at NUL simply because the scandals have wider implications for the future of students and Lesotho in general.
Under the present set-up, no one will trust the integrity of the diplomas and degrees issued by NUL.
Basotho students would have to be subjected to more rigorous tests when they want to further their studies across our borders.
We are already a “pariah state” where our passports are not trusted.
The practice of issuing degrees and certificates to students who would have failed also puts the very future of this country into jeopardy.
It is only when students go through a rigorous process of examinations that we can be able to separate “the wheat from the chaff”.
The prospect of getting chaff masquerading as the “wheat” is, for us, too ghastly to contemplate.
The consequences could also be life-threatening.
When we have fake doctors, fake nurses and fake pharmacists, for example, the sheer amount of damage they can cause is unimaginable.
The analogy applies to all disciplines at NUL.
It is precisely for these reasons that we feel strongly about the shenanigans at our premier university.
We urge the NUL authorities to respond promptly and appropriately and come down hard on any lecturers accused of these underhand practices.
It is in the university’s interests that these criminal elements are weeded out.
Comment by Scorpion on 31 January 2013:
Haha! This explains it. Some of the students from NUL can’t eVen construct a sentence let alone spell their name.
Comment by Sabrina on 31 January 2013:
Ao chehe hle Molimo oa khotso!
Comment by mamoqato on 31 January 2013:
What good name? NUL has never had good name
Comment by shh on 31 January 2013:
I was wondering how the graduants from NUL are so illeterate
Comment by shh on 31 January 2013:
i once interviewed a NUL graduant who claimed to have read for a BEng degree (my first time to hear about an engineering programme from NUL) who couldn’t explain basic electronics principles…believe me, he knew nothing as compared to an ordinary diploma holder in a similar field…now the virus is eating up our only genuine University…what can we expect from all the NUL graduants from now as employers?
Comment by GoodOnes on 31 January 2013:
Although things are bad, lets not forget that there are dedicated lecturers and students who play the game fairly. On the comment made by shh, it seems as if you imply that NUL students are not taught well. Go there and try (science faculty), you will be surprised how serious some people are about education in NUL…
Comment by Moeta pele-oa Block on 31 January 2013:
ho thatata bannnna………………….
Comment by S'bongile on 31 January 2013:
ache is all i can say at this stage. congratulations to the management of NUL for exposing these bad things which have always been happening there. In the past, no one had enough balls to expose them. NUL has been a “good” school on the surface; but FACT is: NUL has always been SEBODU sa sekolo.
However, Congrats Management. Congrats!
Comment by Motjoli on 31 January 2013:
Illeterate graduates!Does it evr happen?
Comment by Davi on 1 February 2013:
damn’t ! We are working hard to gain this degrees but some just buy them by 1000 rand only !!!! Nxa
Comment by sejakhosi on 2 February 2013:
Wht is so gud about NUL’s name,de mess at the skul is way beyond fixing nd we espect bahiri ba hire graduates 1/2 cooked tse muso le ona osa batleng hoba hira bcos bale tala
Comment by Maddog on 2 February 2013:
NUL has never had a good reputation. NUL Lecturers were famous by getting sexual intercourse bribery made by adulterous female students with the purpose of getting pass even when they had failed their exams. Believe me! That is the reason NUL students are so incompetent in the workplace.
Comment by Maddog on 2 February 2013:
Most of NUL Lecturers are very corrupt and have just ignore to teach our children. That is so sad indeed.
Comment by voicetruth on 2 February 2013:
I do agree, with a number of comments said above, particularly a comment by one Scorpion ‘…. Some of the students from NUL can’t eVen construct a sentence let alone spell their name.’
It is sadly true that majority of NUL students, regardless of level of study are not able to construct the simplest sentence anyone can imagine, in English of course.
Now the question is how are those same people expected to learn a host of other subjects(Management, geography,Maths, etc.) which are taught in English and understand the material of study to desirable levels?? This is a very unfortunate situation.
In other countries, with sound education systems, the issue language is a ‘Primary school to Lower Secondary School level’ issue. Lecturers at university cannot be found teaching lanuage instead of their subject areas, everything makes it impossible – time, syllabus, etc.
So, how can we have a good product out of someone who is not capable of understanding even the Classnotes given by their lecturers. Forget about extra-reading these guys dont read anything extra. Reason they dont understand even if they read. All they do is regurgitate Classnotes without a clue of what those Note mean. This is sad but is ture.
All I’m saying is we have a big-big problem to deal with. Ceratainly, I’m not disputing NUL internal problems which are well known and I’m sure have been public knowledge for yrs.
But, i’m also saying whoever is charged with the duty of fixing quality issues of our eduactaion needs to be careful and realise that it is inneed a systemic issue that can never be fixed by focusing on NUL alone. We need a holistic approach on this one.
As for the few bad apples within NUL staff, I know very well that management has all desired legal tools to deal with the concerned individuals. It’s simply unfortunate that for reasons very unknown to most of us, those in charged had been simply turning a blind eye on bad practices. In some cases those who bother reporting such would actuallt get a shoch of their life from the lack of cooperation from those in power. So, the few unscuruplous elements have been simply taking advantage of the management’s indifference to such issues.
Comment by Malapi on 2 February 2013:
Chehe…batho bana bare tloetsa ka malimkokwing hampe empa leha hole joalo lim stdnt is far bhind nul stdnt…
Comment by Spushie on 3 February 2013:
People are just good @ pointing fingers judging bt in essence there is an exception to every rule# not every1 @ NUL is what people believe n perceive#
Comment by Lekhoakhoa on 3 February 2013:
I fear there is too much generalization in this paper, every time something bad has happened at NUL, it gives people like Maddog a platform to write irresponsible things about your only University. Std 7 results were not satisfactory, JC results were bad and COSC results were poor, so what is the feeder for NUL? Basically we need to do something about the whole education structure.
One day someone will be sued for writing and accusing people with things they cannot prove.
Comment by Sehohoana on 4 February 2013:
Haesale ke ipotsa hore na matichere a NUL a khona joang ho lula a tauooe. Those guys seem to have such a lot of money. So it explains how they are able to fund their booze. They collect bribes from undeserving students just to pass them. Interesting isn’t it? Those guys love money so much that they go on strike every year for money. LUTARU will have a lot of explaining to do. Ha ba research hoo holo ke ho bokella tjotjo. This is very sad. During our days male lecturers used to exchange marks for sexual favours. Now this days they have gone a step further to demand a money. Hona ke taba.
Comment by Seekoane thupa e thata on 4 February 2013:
He! kea e ts’aba tjotjo. Hoja hase ka eona Lesotho le ka be lele hole. Paramente ha etse melao e thata. Ba molato ba fumane likahlolo tse Boima, eseng li-beile tsa li- 20 maloti. Ka mehla ho joalo…Tjotjo e hohle mona…
Comment by Matlopotlopo on 4 February 2013:
Hoja LRA ea mpa ea collect tax mona cheleteng ea tjotjo litaba tsa fela.
Joale ha ele moo batho ba ruoa fela ba sa patale lekhetho!! Ke another source of income!!
Comment by S'bongile on 4 February 2013:
@Lekhoakhoa
your last sentence reeks of threats.
NUL eea tsejoa ka sex in exchange of marks se ke oa iphapanya. A well known secret.
Comment by Tseole on 5 February 2013:
@Motlopotlopo, tell you what, even your so-called LRA still collects bribes at the border post and anywhere. Ask bo Mathoto or any cross border traders they will tell you how much they pay the LRA officials at the border post. Even police collect bribes. Ask any motor driver how much he pays in bribes. Get to traffice dept and ask how much it costs to register “Leshala”. Get to passport office and ask how much it costs ” to get a passport quickly” or to get a a chinese a Lesotho passport. Taba ena ea bobolu ke mofetse o hoohle mona. We inherited this thing from the previous potoana regime where bobolu was the order of the day. Just ask how much the former prime minister paid for a litre of liqui fruit, he will tell you “R74. 00″. So the issue of NUL should not be looked in isolation from the entire system. I am not condonong bobolu though.
Comment by khamapane on 5 February 2013:
nul is a corrupt institute, look at its students at work at every government ministry in this country, nothing other than having sex and drinking liquor shouting at the top of their voices; OH!, I HAVE A DEGREE!” SERVICE DELIVERY IS NOTHING BUT ANUS BLACK
Comment by GLO on 6 February 2013:
Hey, re lekehile.
Every Dick, Tom & Henry feels had a mandate to say something about NUL – however uninformed that may be.
Gosh!
Comment by Ex-Bobolu on 6 February 2013:
Ache he re tenehile joale. ha ke tla pholosoa, ke hobane ke ne ke khathetse ke litaba. NUL Lectures, u r so corrupt guys though not all of u. Pliz change ur attitudes.
Comment by Honest lady on 6 February 2013:
Hmk!too bad but not all of us wud go into sex wateva to procit bsides dere a stil lecturers who determinely do deir wek,i know in d faculty of science,bt guys u min dey cant even construct a sentence hahahahaha I KNOW I CAN CONSTRUCT ONE N I CAN SPELL MY NAME AS WELL
Comment by MJ on 8 February 2013:
Oh, shut up!!
Holier than thou attitudes suck. It happens in many universities. Just because its NUL and you didn’t attend there doesn’t mean jack!
Anyway, haa a le tala doesn’t mean ona sa tsebe likarabo ka exam. There are peope with different type strategies tsa ho pasa, emong oa cheta, emong oa qopitsa, emong ona le photographic memory, emong o bohlale!
Shut up!!! You people are disgusting!!!
Comment by Mamosesane on 28 February 2013:
Helek! U guys le etsa Nul ke ke teng fela ho nang le bobolu, ho buluoe hohle mona. Joale kea ipotsa na if some CANT SPELL THEIR NAMES OR CONSTRUCT A SENTENCE IN ENGLISH na ba fihlile joang nul frm primary to h.school to nul. I sense bitterness ea batho baneng bale tala ba thotse very poor results cosc, ddnt qualify ho kena nul joale lesa tla bua ntho li hana ho fela. Akere le lona le kene ka tjotjo kapa eona sex frm H.R MANAGERS mesebetsing moo, ako tloheng mona lea baba
Comment by url on 10 April 2013:
Very good article post.Really thank you! Really Cool.