Lesotho

Experts situated in Lesotho

Moliehi Sekese, teacher at Mamoeketsi Primary School in Lesotho

Lesotho in a nutshell

(sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesotho)

Source : http://www.cia.gov

Lesotho, officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave — entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Its size is just over 30,000 km².

Lesotho has an estimated population of almost 1,900,000, with 85% literacy.

Its capital is Maseru.

It is the southernmost landlocked country in the world. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Its economy and stability is inextricably linked to that of South Africa where a quarter of the workforce are employed.

The name Lesotho translates roughly into "the land of the people who speak Sesotho".

About 40% of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day. It is a small mountainous kingdom surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Harsh winters and high altitudes make much of the country inaccessible in winter. Lesotho is one of the poorest countries in the world, completely surrounded by South Africa, with the 3rd highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the world. Approximately 30% of children are orphaned and life expectancy is less than 40 – half of that of countries in the developed world. Over 60% of the population is under 24 years of age.

In relation to Communications, according to 2009 figures, there were 40,000 fixed phone lines in use compared with 661,000 mobile phones. There were 632 Internet hosts (2010) and 76,800 Internet users (2009).

Access to telecommunications services in Lesotho is approximately 3% of the population for fixed line and just over 20% of the population for mobile. Internet access is very limited, with only 2% of residents subscribing to Internet services, with additional access at Internet cafes, primarily in Maseru. Major challenges to expanding the network include the difficult terrain and lack of electricity supply. (http://www.ist-africa.org/home/default.asp?page=doc-by-id&docid=5192)

Education in Lesotho

(sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Lesotho)

In 1996, the gross primary enrollment rate was 107.7 percent, while the net primary enrollment rate was 69.9 percent, with higher rates for girls than boys. Many young boys involved in herding forgo even the most basic levels of primary education.

Public spending on education was 13.0% of GDP in 2006. There are seven years of compulsory education starting at age six. Net enrolment ratios are 72% for primary and 24% for secondary, and gross enrolment ratio for all levels combined 62% (2006). The pupil-teacher ratio for primary is 40:1 and for secondary 25:1 (2006). The school year starts in March.

The Council on Higher Education was established in 2008 by the ministry of education to regulate the various tertiary education institutions, and is responsible for increasing access to higher education and developing means of funding it.

The ministry's Special Education Unit provides for learners with special education needs and is also responsible for the development of special education teacher training programmes.

Guidelines for the care and welfare of the rapidly increasing population of orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho were drawn up by government and NGOs in 2006. These aim to protect the rights and ensure the safety of such children at the hands of their carers, and to encourage the care of HIV/AIDS orphans within the community. (http://www.commonwealth-of-nations.org/Lesotho/Education)

Most educational supplies are imported from South Africa, and most of the textbooks used in schools and colleges in Lesotho are published in South Africa, the USA or the UK. Some international publishers, for example Macmillan, are represented in Lesotho. A textbook rental scheme is now available to students at primary and secondary levels and has led to an increase in enrolment.

Schools in Lesotho

Education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 13. Primary schooling up to Standard 7 (grade 7) has been free in Lesotho since 2000. It was only in May 2010 that attendance at primary school was made compulsory. Nevertheless, approximately 25% of children do not attend school, particularly in rural areas where families involved in subsistence activities need their children's help to survive. There are 1500 primary schools in Lesotho. 18% of these are urban schools, 8% are semi-urban schools, while 78% are rural schools, situated high in the mountains. In the rainy period, these schools can often close due to obstacles on the route to school.

Secondary and tertiary education is neither free nor compulsory. High school fees are prohibitive, with charges for tuition and books. All secondary schools are comprehensive, geared towards the goal of obtaining entrance to a university. There are about 300 high schools in Lesotho.

Much of the formal education system is still run by missions and is largely administered by the three largest churches – the Roman Catholic Church, the Lesotho Evangelical Church, and the Anglican Church of Lesotho – under the direction of the Ministry of Education.

There are a number independent English-medium schools located in Maseru in Lesotho, offering courses of study for both British and North American qualifications. Schools include the American International School of Lesotho, Machabeng College, Maseru English Medium Preparatory and National University of Lesotho International School. The Lesotho Catholic Schools Secretariat is the liaison body between the Catholic Church and Ministry of Education.

Lesotho's school system consists of twelve school years. The seven years of primary, or junior school (Grades 1-7), culminate in the Primary School Leaving Certificate. The three years of junior secondary school (high school—Forms A, B, C) culminate in the Junior Certificate (JC). The two years of higher secondary school (high school—Forms D—E) lead to the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate (COSC) at the Ordinary Level (O levels). (http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/838/Lesotho-EDUCATIONAL-SYSTEM-OVERVIEW.html)

Further and Higher education

About 4% of the relevant age group is enrolled in tertiary education (2006). The National University of Lesotho is the largest tertiary institution. It has faculties of agriculture, health sciences, humanities, law, sciences, social sciences and education. Other tertiary education providers include the Lesotho College of Education, Lesotho Agricultural College and Lerotholi Polytechnic. Many students are enrolled on the distance-learning programmes of South African institutions.

Universities in Lesotho

The National University of Lesotho (NUL) is the main university in Lesotho. It is situated at Roma (pop.8,000) some 34 kilometers south-east of Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. The Roma valley is broad and is surrounded by a barrier of rugged mountains which provides magnificent scenery. The University enjoys a temperate climate with four distinctive seasons.

The governing body of the University is the Council and academic policy is in the hands of Senate - both Council and Senate being established by the Act. The University holds membership in:

• Association of Commonwealth Universities
• Association of African Universities
• International Association of Universities
• Southern African Regional Universities Association

The National University of Lesotho's history goes back to 1945, when a Catholic University College was founded at Roma by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of Southern Africa. The establishment of this College was a realisation of a decision taken in 1938 by the Synod of Catholic Bishops in South Africa to provide African Catholic students with post-matriculation and religious guidance. The Catholic University College was founded in an isolated valley 34 kilometers from Maseru in a temporary primary school building at Roma Mission.

The Malaysian owned Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) is the nation’s other university, opened by the Prime Minister of Lesotho in October 2008. http://www.limkokwing.net/lesotho/ This is an international University with a global presence across 3 continents. It has over 30,000 students coming from more than 150 countries, studying in its 12 campuses in Botswana, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Lesotho, Malaysia, Swaziland and United Kingdom.

Polytechnics in Lesotho

Lesotho College of Education in Maseru has a primary mission to train and produce competent teachers for the school system of lesotho, who are also able to offer necessary services in the community. The philosophical basis of the college encompasses the principles of life-long education, continuous professional and development of practitioners in education.

Lerotholi Polytechnic Lerotholi Polytechnic is named after Chief Lerotholi who first conceptualized it as a technical and vocational school in 1894. In 1905 the first building was erected and various courses in trades were introduced. In 1929 a variety of new skills and trades in the curriculum were added.

In 1960 the school changed its main focus as an artisan orientated institution with the establishment of two new schools – the Commercial Training Institute and Technician Training School. In 1991 the three schools were merged. This amalgamation came to be known as Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP), with a mission to respond to the Technical and Vocational Education needs of Lesotho. http://www.lp.ac.ls/

Colleges in Lesotho

The Lesotho Agricultural College was established in 1964. In 2000, the college was merged with the Faculty of Agriculture at the National University. There are two campuses, one in Maseru and the other one 100 Km North of the capital.The college is responsible for training extension staff at either certificate level (two years)or diploma level (three years). It has 600 students and 30 computers, with 9 lecturing staff. Both staff and students have internet access. In 2000, the college was merged with the Faculty of Agriculture at the National University. There are two campuses, one in Maseru and the other one 100 Km North of the capital.The college is responsible for training extension staff at either certificate level (two years)or diploma level (three years) in agriculture, agricultural mechanization, home economics, forestry and natural resources management. (http://www.sadc.int/fanr/agricresearch/icart/inforesources/SADC-ARD-Directory-Apr09.pdf)

The National Health Training College was established in Maseru in1989 to bring all health training objectives of the country under one institution, thus ensuring effective and efficient graduate and in-service development and supply of health and social welfare professionals.

Education reform

The Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) 2005-2015 aims to improve improving access, efficiency and equity of education and training at all levels.

The ESSP is organized in terms of the various sub-components of the education sector such as integrated early childhood care and development (IECCD), basic education, secondary education, technical and vocational training (TVET) and higher education. A Catalytic Fund Project was developed in partnership with Irish Aid to support the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) to achieve primary school completion targets through improvements in school infrastructure, improved distribution of qualified teachers, interventions to enhance the quality of teaching and improved access to early childhood education. This includes a targeted intervention, a ‘difficult school allowance package ’ to support designated difficult schools which are most difficult to access. These are mostly small schools in mountainous areas which may often lack any qualified teachers.

Schools

Lesotho introduced Free Primary Education in January 2000 (MOE, 2001). In 1999, only 45.5% of the full time school age population (6-24 years) in Lesotho were actually in school, and one third of Basotho youth and adults were illiterate (MOE, 2005:89). The reform increased primary enrollment rates to 82 percent. Although very poor, Lesotho ranks high amongst countries in Africa that prioritize education in their budgets. In May 2010, the government passed an Education Act making education not only free but also compulsory at primary level.

Post-secondary

Lesotho has a set of policies for lifelong learning and non-formal education (NFE) focused on the key goal of reducing the levels of illiteracy and poverty in the country. The targets for NFE are a number of disadvantaged groups including herd boys, out of school youths, adults who missed on formal education, and retrenched miners. Within Higher Education, the main contributor to lifelong learning provision is the Institute of Extra Mural Studies (IEMS), part of the National University of Lesotho. IEMS offers open and distance learning Diploma and Degree programmes in Adult Education (Diploma, Bachelors and Masters level), Business Entrepreneurship (Bachelor level) and Mass Communication (Diploma level). It also has a number of regional learning centres in the remote areas of Lesotho, and runs tailor made short courses and workshops on community development issues as requested by communities. IEMS’s overall aim is to widen participation in higher education and make learning accessible to those who would not otherwise be able to study at the main campus.

Information society

ICT village in Mahobong, Leribe District (eHealth & eAgriculture)

The Health aspect of this project is intended to provide training on the use of ultrasound technology to the health personnel of the Holy Trinity Clinic in Mahobong to prevent deaths of mothers and children in the area surrounding the clinic.

A training period will be initially undertaken in 2011 which will train 20 people and OCCAM, WINFOCUS and Hospital of Lodi will invite representatives from the Ministry of Health, the District Hospital in Leribe and others from CHAL to attend. Subsequently, there will be satellite connectivity, which will facilitate personnel in Mahobong to refer to dedicated staff at the Hospital in Lodi for second opinion and any other support needed. Apart from the ultrasound machine, the project intends to support the creation of a delivery room at the Clinic. The project is funded by The Ministry of Health of Regione Lombardia, Italy

The Observatory for Cultural and Audiovisual Communication in the Mediterranean and in the World (OCCAM, http://www.occam.org/) and the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Milan provide training to the staff at the Resource Center in Mahobong (run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security - MAFS) to support farmers in the detection of plant diseases and parasites through the provision of e-phytopathology and parasitology services. The project also provides agriculture tools as well as seeds, fertilizers etc to the farmers.

ICT in education initiatives

Virtual initiatives in schools

Despite its poor ICT infrastructure and high levels of poverty, there are initiatives to integrate ICT in education.

Two key projects in the school sector are the NEPAD eSchools Demo Project and SchoolNet Lesotho. There are also a few private sector companies engaged independently in making some technology accessible to schools on the basis of leasing PCs to schools.

The NEPAD eSchools Demo Project has focused attention on the potential that ICT offers to enhance education in the country. The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) eSchools Initiative is a multicountry, multi-stakeholder, continental initiative that aims to impart ICT skills to young Africans in primary and secondary schools and improve the provision of education in schools through ICT applications and the use of the Internet.

The first phase of the initiative is a demonstration (demo) project that is being implemented by the private sector partners. The objectives of the Demo Project are to:

- Determine typical e-school scenarios and requirements in various circumstances in Africa

- Highlight the challenges inherent in a large-scale implementation of e-school programmes

- Monitor the effectiveness of multi-country, multi-stakeholder partnerships

- Determine best practice and exemplary working models for the large-scale implementation of the initiative, which aims to equip more than 550,000 African schools with ICTs and connect them to the Internet

- Demonstrate the costs, benefits, appropriateness, and challenges of a satellite-based network

- Demonstrate the costs, benefits, and challenges of ICT use in African schools

Lesotho is one of the 16 countries where the Demo Project was co-ordinated by a dedicated country liaison person based at the Ministry of Education and Training. Oracle and Microsoft are two companies that formed consortia to support the Demo Project in six Lesotho high schools where the typical model involved fitting each school with a lab comprising approximately 20 PCs, a server and printer, and a media lab which in some instances included a PC-based kiosk containing health information and satellite television access to education channels. Teachers at the six schools received training and learners have subsequently used the PC labs in the classroom.

SchoolNet Lesotho

SchoolsNet Lesotho's role is to promote learning and teaching through ICTs to schools in Lesotho. SchoolNet Lesotho held its launch workshop in 2005 with the support of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA). It is run largely as an organization of volunteers and is dependent on donor funds.

Virtual initiatives in post-secondary education

CECS ICT Literacy Programmes

The Community Education Computer Society (CECS) is a South African-based NGO, which focuses on the development of ICT skills in the form of literacy programmes across southern Africa. Lesotho is one of six countries where CECS has a dedicated ICT literacy programme that was established with the support of the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA).

The 80-hour programme on ICT literacy enables participants to use word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software, design a basic Web page using HTML, and perform basic computer troubleshooting and maintenance.

References

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