Nthatuoa Koeshe
THE government is implementing an e-government project to increase access to information and communications technology services at the community level.
This was said by the Development Planning Minister, Tlohelang Aumane at the launch of the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) student sponsorship management and administration system (SSMAS) in Maseru recently.
Mr Aumane said the SSMAS system will significantly improve efficiency in the administration and management of bursaries.
“We are providing gadgets to schools for e-learning and access to e- services,” Mr Aumane said.
“However, it does not mean that those who do not have access to the internet or the required gadgets are forgotten.”
He said students who do not have access to the internet can still register at the NMDS offices’ One-Stop-Shop Facility.
Mr Aumane said they are exploring ways of partnering with the home affairs and the education ministries to use common resources to register offline for the SSMAS where circumstances do not permit online registration.
He explained that SSMAS enables students to register and apply for bursaries online from wherever they are as long as they have internet access. He said students will also be able to view their loan bursary status online wherever they are.
“For now, the only time that students will be required to physically come to NMDS offices will be for biometrics services, verification of documents and signing of loan bursary contracts. This is done in the One-Stop-Shop Facility.”
He said his ministry is completing the five-year National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) informed by the National Vision 2020 in which the Loan Bursary Fund (LBF) reform is drawn from.
“The Vision 2020’s overarching goal calls for Lesotho to have well trained human resources and sustain accelerated economic growth,” he said.
The NMDS director, Flory Rakeketsi, said the new system will curd the levels of dissatisfaction among applicants as the processes of provision of bursaries will be simpler and improved.
“The system is also the integral part of the loan bursary reforms that are being implemented at NMDS,” Ms Rakeketsi said.
She said the system is intended to reduce contact between students and NMDS staff.
“This system will curb lengthy processing of payments of students, institutions and all clients.
“Students who wish to be enrolled in institutions of higher learning and wish to be sponsored by NMDS should register into the SSMAS via internet on the address www.scholarships.manp.gov.ls,” Ms Rakeketsi said.
She advised students who are yet to sit for their CEOSC exams to also register in the system.
She said applications can only be made when sponsorships have been advertised by NMDS through the SSMAS and the NMDS Facebook page: National Manpower Development Secretariat.