By: Reitumetse Mahloane
Maseru
On the 22nd and 23rd February 2024, the Council on Higher Education held the 9th Higher Education Fair at the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre. All higher education institutions were invited and each given the platform to present information on their programmes, entry requirements and applications to the prospective tertiary students.
The Higher Education Fair is such an important event, full with activities surrounding education in the country, hence one day was not enough for it. All institutions that partook at the event put up their stalls for two days as they showcased their programmes to the groups of schools that came on the two different days.
Not only were the institutions from Lesotho invited to the event, but also the colleges and universities from South Africa and Botswana, as most students in the country apply to study in both these countries. The expected participants for the fair were; undergraduate students, post graduate students, and especially the grade 11 students at high school level normally referred to as Form D.
Emphasis on the grade 11 students owes to the fact that their presence and participation for such an event is quite vital. They are the main market meant to be inspired in order to work hard for their chosen careers and subsequently tertiary institues. Also, CHE deemed it advisable for the students’ parents and guardians to join them for career guidance sessions as it would not be easy for them to decide on their own, the programmes in which to enroll.
However, since experts in different fields were invited to guide the students on the requirements needed for the different professions and job opportunities available after their studies, the students had enough help already. It was not just the education institutions who made their presentations, but the finance institutions as well.
The financiers, also known as the sponsors, pitched their ideas and ways of financing the tertiary students’ studies during the exhibitions. Sponsors such as the National Manpower Development Secretariat(NMDS), American Embassy, Vodacom Foundation, Lets’eng Diamond Mine and others came to the event. They too provided information on how students can have access to their scholarships, along with the needed requirements. At the event, grade 11 students were ecstatic to share some of the information they had learned during the exhibitions by the institutions and the career guidance sessions.
“I quickly peaked an interest in engineering, a programme at Lerotholi Polytechnic. I don’t know if it was how they pitched their programmes for us, or if it was the benefits, because it is apparently one course that pays very well,” said Seithati Phatela, a student at Lesotho high school.
Her classmate, Nthabiseng Lesoetsa also talked about the programme that caught her attention,
“Agriculture, even though some people might label it as extreme and a bit tacky to be studied by a lady, I find it refreshing, I would like to go study it at the National University of Lesotho.” She said with her eyes full of passion.
It is amazing how both students are female and both chose designated masculine programmes. This says a lot about the presentations made by the institutions, they were able to infuse anyone who listened with interest. However, the only problem they had was the lack of resources at the event, as the institutions only had few pamphlets containing their information passed around. More than two people shared one. Comprehensively though, the whole event was a thumbs up, everyone seemed to be happy with how everything turned out.
At the end of it all, the Council on Higher Education(CHE) was able to accomplish the objectives of the day. I believe this is one of the most creative events to be held in the country, not only does it serve the students, but the community as well.