MASERU - July 1, 2024 - A new package of World Bank support to Lesotho will see a major boost for the country’s education sector with work focused on enhancing infrastructure and physical learning conditions in targeted primary and secondary schools and improving the quality of teaching.
The Lesotho Education Improvement Project, approved on July 1, is financed by an IDA credit of $20 million. While Lesotho is making commendable progress in providing basic education and achieving universal access at the primary level, it continues to face significant challenges in the basic education sector. These challenges include inadequate infrastructure across all levels, low student retention, gender disparities, and primary schools' lack of basic infrastructure such as classrooms and latrines.
“We are committed to improving access to quality basic education as a core strategy for the country’s socioeconomic development, and this support will help accelerate our efforts towards improving learner outcomes. Through the project, we will receive support to strengthen the teaching of foundational skills in early primary grades, implement a national learning assessment in junior secondary school, scale up online mathematics and science training for junior secondary school teachers, and improve basic infrastructure in targeted schools,” said Hon. Prof. Ntoi Rapapa, Minister of Education and Training.
The new project aims to support the construction of adequate infrastructure to accommodate growing student populations. This will entail constructing 189 classrooms, 1,140 latrines, 48 laboratories, and 10 workshops benefiting over 100,000 students across primary and secondary schools. The construction of science laboratories will have a positive impact on the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects as it will provide hands-on experience to learners enabling them to have a deeper understanding of scientific concepts.
“Our Country Partnership Framework commits to improving human capital. To achieve this we are committed to providing the necessary support to improve the quality of education and increase retention at the secondary level to strengthen the foundation for future learning and skills acquisition,” said Daniel Gerber Acting Resident Representative Lesotho.
The project builds on the priorities of the Ministry of Education and Training lessons learned opportunities arising from recently closed ongoing projects including Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project Lesotho Basic Education Improvement Project.
* The World Bank Group’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960 helps world’s low-income countries by providing grants low zero-interest loans projects programs boost economic growth reduce poverty improve people’s lives. IDA one largest sources assistance its client countries which Africa Since provided billion countries Annual commitments averaged about billion last three years with about going Africa Learn more online: https://ida.worldbank.org #IDAworks