Bataung Moeketsi
DESPITE crippling financial challenges, the Lesotho Opportunities Industrialisation Centre (LOIC) remains committed to producing skilled artisans.
Speaking at the organisation’s 39th graduation ceremony in Maseru on Friday, LOIC chairperson Moletsane Jonathan said the organisation would remain resolute towards its pursuits despite the financial challenges it was encountering.
Sixty-six students from the fields of bricklaying and plastering, carpentry and joinery, electrical installation and solar Energy, plumbing and welding were capped at the event.
Mr Jonathan said the organisation was faced with various challenges among them financial, infrastructure, a stagnant curriculum, aging machinery and underdeveloped staff.
But despite all those challenges, the organisation would pursue its mandate and endeavour to continue producing skilled artisans.
“Our institution, has been accepting students with diverse school leaving qualifications starting from standard seven and aims to transform them into productive skilled artisans for the development of the country’s economy,” Mr Jonathan said.
“Although faced with major challenges like finance, lack of infrastructure, stagnant curriculum, aging machinery, underdeveloped staff, we continue on our mission to transform the lives of young Basotho hopefuls who go on to become important and relevant players in the upliftment of the economy.”
LOIC executive director, Lephethisang Lesaoana, told the Sunday Express that they have continued to improve their curriculum as evidenced by the offering of a new electrical installations course.
“As you have seen, no one is graduating in boiler making and welding because the course only started this year, meaning we will only have graduates in the course of 2020,” Mr Lesaoana said.
LOIC was established in 1978 and offers vocational entrepreneurial training and development skills.