Tag Archives: Lesotho

According to collegesanduniversitiesinusa, Lesotho has a long history of educational development, with the first school established in 1833. The country has since gone through several phases of educational reform, including the introduction of free primary education in 2005 and the adoption of a new national curriculum in 2012. The colonial period saw the introduction of formal education to Lesotho. Mission schools were set up by various religious organizations, such as the London Missionary Society, and were mostly attended by children from wealthy families. The government also established its own schools during this time, but they were not widely available and only served a small portion of the population. After independence in 1966, Lesotho began to develop its own educational system. Primary education was made compulsory in 1972, and a new National Education Policy was introduced in 1975 that aimed to make primary school accessible to all children regardless of their economic background or gender. This policy led to an increase in primary school enrollment from 27 percent in 1975 to 97 percent by 1995. In 2005, free primary education was introduced as part of an effort to reduce poverty and increase access to education for all children. This program enabled thousands of children who previously could not afford school fees to attend primary school for free. It also led to an increase in literacy rates among both boys and girls aged 15-24 from 61 percent in 2000 to 74 percent in 2009. In 2012, Lesotho adopted a new national curriculum that focused on developing core skills such as literacy and numeracy while also emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and problem solving skills. The curriculum also included more emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects as well as leadership training for students at all levels. Since then, Lesotho has continued its efforts towards making quality education accessible for all students regardless of their economic background or gender. As part of this effort, the government has set up programs such as scholarships for girls who are interested in pursuing STEM subjects at higher levels as well as initiatives that provide laptops for students who cannot afford them so they can access online learning resources more easily at home. Additionally, the government has also rolled out programs to increase teacher training and qualifications in order to ensure that students receive the best quality education possible. Lesotho is a small, landlocked country located in Southern Africa with a population of approximately 2.1 million people. It is surrounded by South Africa and has been an independent nation since 1966. In 2009, Lesotho was governed by a coalition government led by Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, who had been in power since 1998. The government was composed of several political parties, including the Lesotho Congress for Democracy (LCD), the Basotho National Party (BNP), and the Basutoland African Congress (BAC). The economy of Lesotho largely depended on its trade with South Africa and other countries in the region, as well as on foreign aid from international organizations such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). In 2009, Lesotho’s GDP per capita was US$ 1,300 and its unemployment rate stood at 25%. In terms of foreign policy, Lesotho maintained good relations with its neighbours in Southern Africa. In 2009, it was one of only three countries to sign the SADC Protocol on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation which aimed to promote peace and stability in the region. Lesotho also maintained diplomatic relationships with countries around the world including China, India and Russia. In terms of human rights, there were some concerns about freedom of expression in Lesotho during this period due to laws that restricted some forms of media coverage. Additionally, there were reports that police had used excessive force against protesters during demonstrations against government policies in 2008. However overall human rights violations were not widespread during this period due to civil society organizations such as Amnesty International monitoring conditions closely. Overall, in 2009 Lesotho enjoyed relative political stability under Prime Minister Mosisili’s leadership and good relations with its neighbours while also facing some challenges related to poverty reduction and human rights issues. Check mathgeneral for Lesotho in 2017.