Hopolang Mokhopi THE Social Cluster Committee has directed the Institution of Extra Mural Studies (IEMS) to refund tuition fees paid by the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) for two civil servants who were expelled from the institution. 

IEMS, a subsidiary of the National University of Lesotho (NUL), dismissed the students, Malerato Khalikane and Fusi Khechane, three months into their degree programs despite NMDS having covered their tuition fees. 

Both students, who are employed by the Ministry of Finance, then sought the intervention of the Social Cluster Committee, requesting that the institution refund NMDS as their admissions had been reversed. 

Speaking before the Social Cluster Committee last week, Mr Khechane explained that they had applied to pursue degrees at IEMS for the 2023/24 academic year after completing diploma programs at the Institute of Development Management (IDM). However, three months after their admission, they were informed that their acceptance had been revoked due to an “erroneous admission” based on alleged discrepancies in their qualifications. 

“They said our certificates did not qualify us to pursue degrees and instructed us to pursue diploma programs instead,” Mr Khechane said. 

Following their dismissal, the two sought assistance from various stakeholders, including the NUL and the Ministry of Education and Training, but received no resolution. 

“We were dismissed in the first semester, but when we went to NMDS, we discovered we owed them for the tuition fees,” he said. 

Consequently, the two approached the Social Cluster Committee to seek justice. They urged the committee to compel IEMS to refund the tuition fees to NMDS since their enrolment had been nullified. 

Addressing the issue, IEMS Director Okyere Francis explained that the students had initially been admitted based on their applications but were later found to lack the necessary qualifications to enrol in degree programs. 

“We realised that they only held certificates, not completed diplomas, and we had no choice but to cancel their admission,” Mr Francis said. 

He further stated that they had offered the students an opportunity to enrol in diploma programs instead. However, while Mr Khechane collected his correspondence, he never responded formally, leaving the matter unresolved. 

Chairperson of the Social Cluster Committee, Mokhothu Makhahalanyane, instructed the IEMS Director to refund the tuition fees to NMDS since the students were unable to complete their studies due to their dismissal. 

Additionally, he advised the two students to formally respond to the IEMS letter and notify NMDS of their withdrawal from the programs.