LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES IN THE LESOTHO

Abstract

Lesotho is one of the developing countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and as such the provision of quality education within the country is regarded as one of the basic fundamental human rights. It is through the provision of education that this country is attempting to rescue its community from devastating poverty and high levels of unemployment. The Lesotho Teaching Service Department (TSD) was established in 1914 with the aim of administering the conditions of employment and payment of teachers. However, there are serious leadership challenges which this department is currently experiencing with regard to its employees. These challenges are in turn influencing the relationship between administrators within the department and the junior employees. This report presents the argument that the success and the failure of developmental institutions depends to a considerable extent on the relationship between the leader and the workforce because leadership is really about what one does for people It is argued that the leadership can play an important role in initiating collaborative efforts between the junior employees and the TSD senior management. This collaboration may not bring stability but may bring commitment through equal participation. This study has established that commitment to cooperation can be brought about through the use of effective and proper communication, where both the leadership and the subordinates maintain regular interaction, and so allow for engagement among all the stakeholders. The leadership has to involve every stakeholder in the decisionmaking processes of the organisation. This active participation on the part of the stakeholders may then result in their commitment to ensure that their objectives and collective goals are fulfilled. vii This study has concluded that lack of proper communication between the leadership and the employees, lack of involvement by employees in decisionmaking processes, as well as employees’ disempowerment and resistance to change are the major leadership challenges which this department is experiencing. Therefore the recommendations are that the leadership needs to evaluate information channels to improve communication, to include employees in decision-making processes, to empower them and to eradicate obstacles to organisational change.