Limpho Sello

EDUCATION and Training Minister, Dr Mahali Phamotse, has urged the corporate sector to take a cue from Metropolitan Lesotho by assisting in areas of need.

The minister made the remark while receiving 30 computers for the Teaching Service Department (TSD) from the insurance giant on Monday in Maseru.

Of the 30 computers, 14 are laptops while 16 are desktop machines that will be distributed to Education ministry human resources departments in selected districts.

According to Dr Phamotse, the computers would be used to record teachers’ employment information, payment of salaries and terminal benefits among others.

She said the insurance giant’s gesture had met one of the many needs the ministry was facing, adding that other corporates should also take the cue.

“We thank Metropolitan Lesotho for this timeous gesture and also appeal to other corporates to remember us because we face many resource constraints,” said Dr Phamotse.

TSD Director, Phaee Monaheng Mariti, told the Sunday Express on the side-lines of the ceremony they approached Metropolitan Lesotho for assistance after encountering challenges with old equipment when they migrated from manual to computerised operations.

“We computerised our processes in 2014 because the manual way was very cumbersome,” Ms Mariti said.

For his part, Metropolitan Lesotho Managing Director, Nkau Matete, said they made the gesture after realising that TSD was facing many operational problems due to old and slow equipment.

“We realised that the operational challenges were delaying the enumeration process and putting a strain on the lives of teachers,” he said.

“We work very closely with teachers, and we wanted to make their lives easier hence our decision to donate these computers.”

Mr Matete added: “As much as the computers are being donated to TSD, the beneficiaries are the teachers because we believe the computers will help speed up the enumeration process.”