By Liapeng Raliengoane
MASERU – Roma College of Nursing celebrates a Golden Jubilee this year and will hold a celebratory event to mark this milestone.
Talking about the history of the college, Sr. Jacinta Moopisa (JMJ), disclosed that the nursing college was a Roman Catholic nurses training institution and it was established on the 15th August 1972 by the late Archbishop, His Grace Liguory Morapeli (OMI), to address the health care needs that Basotho had at the time and by then the system had limited health care personnel.
Sr. Moopisa said that the main objective for opening this college was to train qualifying candidates who were from hard to reach communities with the aim of having them return to serve in their own communities upon completion of their studies as well as to improve their livelihoods.
“Currently, the college is offering two programs; a three year Diploma in Nursing, which was previously a Certificate program, and a one-year post-basic Diploma in Midwifery. The college is also envisaging to introduce other programs in future, in line with the national human resources needs,” Sr. Moopisa noted.
Roma College of Nursing Principal Nurse Educator, Lydia Keketsi Mokotso, pointed out that the college started its operations with 15 nursing students and later in 1980 started the Midwifery program with four student midwives.
“Currently, there is an average of 100 students in Nursing and 32 in Midwifery in any given academic year. From 1976 to 2022 the grand total of graduants is 1401,” said the college Principal Nurse Educator.
Keketsi Mokotso share her opinion with the media gather and made mention of the fact that some of the challenges the college faces were limited funding to finance the colloege’s planned operational activities as well as the infrastructural limitations to meet the expanded services.
Roma College of Nursing Accountant, Pholo Mashongoane, said that the planned celebratory event was to be held on the 9th December at the Roma College of Nursing grounds. However, prior to this planned event, there will be a fun walk to be held on the 3rd September from Ha Makhalanyane to Roma as well as a Gala Dinner to be held on the 4th November.
