Erasmus+ LETSEMA kick-off seminar
National University of Lesotho (NUL) and LETSEMA stakeholders launched clean energy generation officially at Manthabiseng Convention centre on Thursday.
This joint initiative is intended to increase clean energy generation and energy efficiency in the Mountain Kingdom, to promote reliable and equitable access to energy while also improving energy sector leadership and capacity.
It is a joint effort between the government of Lesotho and its relevant ministries, the European Union delegation to Lesotho which focuses on strengthening development management administration and experiential and hands-on learning opportunities in the field of sustainable energy.
Speaking at the occasion, Professor Leboli Zak Thamae from Energy Research Centre at NUL indicated that NUL research centre was established in 2017 with the aim of providing education and skills development capacity in sustainable energy as well as addressing human and institutional capacity in the energy sector.
“This initiative is opted to operate within 3year, from 2023 to 2026 and it takes in 10-20 students be groomed per annum in order to empower the next generation of Renewable Energy professionals/technicians as well as developing micro-credentials for hand-on practical learning. ”, said Professor Thamae.
He reiterated that Energy Resource Centre though some work has been done over the past few years, there is still a lot of work to be done for people in the rural areas because this project is aimed to help the poorest citizens of Lesotho in the rural areas to also benefit by getting electricity.
He concluded that there has been challenges encountered by the project which are lack of one-stop shop for facilitating permits and concessions, low energy expertise, low tariff for grind customers (fairness and equity), stiffness of regulators and high tariff for off-grid customers.
Apart from that, Her Excellency Paola Amadei, Ambassador of the European Union to Lesotho stressed that Erasmus+ programme is a flagship programme created in 1987 which promoted close cooperation between Universities and Higher education institutions across Europe.
“All 27 members states contributes to the Erasmus programme financially and academic institutions across the European Union and this is one of the best examples of Team Europe that brings together different stakeholders to foster higher education in Europe and abroad” stressed Amadei.
She also said that European Union is the steadfast supporter of the vision of Renewable Lesotho which becomes ever more reliant on clean energy, harnessing the great potential of water, sun and wind which with this country is endowed.
She concluded that this is the very first time that the higher education institutions in Lesotho have been able to secure funding under the Erasmus+ Capacity-Building in higher education programme. In the past the individuals could benefit from scholarships and fellowship but this is the first programme where institutions stand to benefit directly.
On the other hand, Minister of Energy Professor Nqosa Mahao indicated that he acknowledges the hard work of her Excellency the ambassador of Erasmus+ Lesotho which led to the success of the project. He said that he saw the inceptions and development of the Erasmus+ collaboration between National University of Lesotho and various European based Universities.
“At the time when developing National University of Lesotho’s teaching plan for the year 2015/2020, I was approached by Professor Thamae and his colleagues to embed about the Renewable Research Centre and one witnessed project begun to run initially to have short courses and undue courses and had incepted the natural science in renewable Energy Programme”, Professor Mahao indicated.
He also said that Professor Thamae’s presentation has made a very factual and scientifically based impact on the energy challenges and that is if they had unlocked it, Lesotho would have been the very first country in the south region to attain Renewable Energy sub sufficiency.
“The primary objectives of this project is to enhance the capacity of both National University of Lesotho (NUL), Bethel Business and Community Development Centre (BBCDC) deliver high quality education in sustainable energy with the ultimate goal of generating employment opportunities in the green energy sector”, Professor Mahao concluded.
Similarly, when declaring this project launched officially, Professor Ntoi Rapapa acknowledged the ambassador of Erasmus+ and passed the appreciation remarks towards her for being energetic and pushing hard for this project to succeed.
He congratulated the National University of Lesotho, University of Turku Finland, Linnaeus University Sweden and Bethel Business and Community Development Centre (BBCDC) and said that this proofs the saying ‘if you want to go fast, go alone but if you want to go far, go together’.
In conclusions, Professor Rapapa said that for the first time in this country we are seeing a collaboration between NUL, Technical institutions and two Universities from outside the country therefore we thank European Union (EU) delegation for that. This is a momentous celebration because this collaboration is bearing good fruits and achievements towards European Union and also African Union 2030 joint Vision.
In this academic year, Lesotho Council of higher education, Lerotholi Polytechnic, National University of Lesotho together with 14 other institutions from South Africa, Mauritius, Namibia, Estonia, Belgium and Ireland have already secured Erasmus+ finding to work on the manual recognition of micro credentials in Southern Africa.