Mamohlakola Letuka
MORE than four hundred students graduated with certificates in the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) at a ceremony at the Centre for Accounting Studies (CAS) in Maseru on Friday.
CAS Rector, Neo Phakoana-Foulo, described the graduation ceremony as a milestone in the centre’s quest to produce first class accountants who would positively impact the economy of Lesotho
“You will agree with me that our graduates hold the most influential positions in the country,” Ms Phakoana-Foulo said.
She said that the students have already achieved a high level of independent thinking by graduating and urged them to be goodwill ambassadors as they pursued their careers.
She said that the graduates were joining over 3000 alumni who had proven the quality of the CAS brand.
“I would like to express my faith that you, as ambassadors for CAS, will go on to shape and manage the knowledge-intensive, fast moving world in which we live,” she said.
For his part, CAS Chancellor, Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso, called on the graduates to serve to the national diligently as role models who were humble and of good morals.
“Your country looks up to you for leadership in other words, make your country proud,” Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso said.
Dr Seeiso also revealed that the draft bill for CAS to become a university with powers to confer degrees, diplomas and certificates in her own right was at an advanced stage.
He urged the relevant authorities to fast track passing of this bill into law to enable CAS to successfully contribute to the development of human resources needed for national growth.
“We need more local public institutions to develop skills that the country needs to meet sustainable development goals we have set for the growth and prosperity of our people and nation.”
He also announced that in July 2017, after a rigorous evaluation exercise, CAS was accredited to provide tuition for the Lesotho Professional Accountancy Programme by the Council on Higher Education.
He appealed to the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) to support the initiative by sponsoring students.
Ms Phakoana-Foulo also spoke of the need “to continue to attract the best students and staff as well as providing the facilities and amenities they need to learn and innovate”.
She said they had undertaken several initiatives to ensure high standards were maintained, including the setting up of CAS team to oversee robust quality assurance efforts.
CAS Student Representative Council president, Sipho Kojane thanked their parents for supporting them in their academic endeavours.
Meanwhile, Mpho Kuenane received an award for the best performance in Chartered Accountant course.
Tšeliso Chere (General Accountant) and Relebohile Ramashamole (Certified Accounting Technician) also received awards along with Hlompho Matsoso who scooped the leadership award in the CIPFA Certificate course.