‘Makananelo Manamolela
THE Institute of Development Management (IDM) has been recognised as the country’s leading institution in delivering flexible, well-aligned and high-quality corporate governance training.
The recognition came during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IDM and the Institute of Directors Lesotho (IOD), held at the IDM campus on Thursday.
Speaking at the ceremony, IOD Board Chairman, Selebalo Ntepe, said the decision to partner with IDM was based on findings that identified the institution as the most suitable partner.
“Humility is the beginning of wisdom, and as we talk about corporate governance, we are talking about building wisdom for this country. Humility facilitates wisdom by fostering a teachable spirit, encouraging the recognition of personal limitations, and creating openness to advice and correction, as we are all here in this marriage. We realised that there was a gap in corporate governance in this country,” Mr Ntepe said.
He said the organisation had identified a shortage of corporate governance skills needed to strengthen organisations across the country.
“Out of that humility, we accepted that Lesotho is fraught with problems of poor governance. This partnership is therefore about inventing the future of a collective corporate governance landscape in this country—a country recognised for ethical leadership, not one associated with corruption, non-performing organisations and weak corporate governance.”
He said many board members possessed academic qualifications, including bachelor’s and master’s degrees, but often lacked practical corporate governance expertise.
“That has become a global cancer. Hence this new discipline of corporate governance is emerging as a diamond. It is a necessity for everyone.
“We chose IDM to bridge the skills gap between the practical requirements of the workplace and the theoretical knowledge people acquire from academic institutions. Corporate governance is a professional and practical discipline. Historically, governance was taught mainly through MBA programmes, but many organisations continued to fail because there was insufficient practical application.
“Since its conceptualisation by the Institute of Directors and the Chartered Secretaries Institute across the world, higher learning institutions have embraced corporate governance as both an academic and professional discipline. This partnership combines those two approaches. We will begin with the professional route, ensuring that before anyone is appointed to a board, they have at least a basic knowledge of governance,” he said.
Meanwhile, IOD Chief Executive Officer, ‘Malehlohonolo Mahase, said the partnership had been in the pipeline for a long time.
She said as a professional body established to promote excellence in corporate governance, ethical leadership, professional directorship, education, certification and policy engagement, the institute was committed to strengthening governance standards across the country.
“We expect directors in the corporate world to become champions of good corporate governance, ambassadors and advocates of transparent and fair leadership, and to promote governance cultures that encourage peace and productivity in our institutions,” she said.
It was stated during the event that the MoU is intended to shape the future of education, governance and skills development in Lesotho.
Speaking on behalf of the IDM Board, Professor Kapa Motlamelle, said the institution highly valued the partnership because it aligned with IDM’s goal of ensuring that academic programmes respond to Lesotho’s national development priorities.
“This MoU is therefore a stepping stone that will help bridge existing gaps and overcome challenges by preparing graduates to meet the demands of service delivery. Through it, IDM and IOD will join forces to design and deliver programmes that are academically rigorous, practically relevant and nationally impactful,” he said.
He added that the collaboration would also enable the two institutions to issue joint certificates carrying the authority of both organisations, signalling quality, credibility and excellence to clients and stakeholders.
IDM Rector, Thibeli Molapo, described the partnership as a demonstration of a shared commitment to advancing leadership excellence, good governance, professional development and institutional capacity building.
“As organisations dedicated to developing human capital and strengthening organisational performance, both institutions share a common vision of producing capable leaders and building ethical institutions that contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.
Closing the event, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Training, Ratšiu Majara, welcomed the partnership, saying it would address a long-standing gap in the country’s education system.
“This partnership shows that IDM is indeed growing despite the separations it had with previous partners. It is here to stay, providing skills to Basotho. The most important thing is that its focus is on programmes that contribute to economic development.
“This country needs educational programmes and courses that reflect current realities. For example, many young people struggle to find employment after completing their studies because they are enrolled in programmes that are no longer relevant. Partnerships such as this will help bridge that gap,” he said.