In Lesotho, the coming together of two important ministries – education and health – has had a major impact on learners’ access to health services. At the centre of this ground-breaking development are Lesotho’s 10 FutureLife-Now! schools.
Miss and Mr Climate Change are determined to make their voices heard. Chosen at the Climate Change convention held by Fort Rixon Secondary School, their role is to bring about awareness of the impact of climate change in the local context.
One of the major challenges faced by Zimbawe’s FutureLife-Now! school communities is a lack of unity and differing perceptions when it comes to the value of education. While schools provide education to afford opportunities for learners to have a better future, many parents do not always support this, and instead promote practices such as child marriages, gold panning and working as herd boys.
Agency is key to addressing the many challenges confronting youth in the SADC region. Young people need space to design and share best practices for addressing climate change challenges.
Learner Takondwa Gankha at the climate change jamboree presenting Bwaila Secondary School’s learner-led project
David Ramushu Secondary School in Zambia is situated in a community where many of its people are malnourished and do not have access to fresh fruit and vegetables. It is for this reason that the school began a food gardening project in September last year. The plan was not only to give the community access to fresh produce, but to create buffer stocks that would meet the growing demand for produce and efficiently cope with volatilities in food production.
Victor Munyumbwe, executive member of David Ramushu Secondary School’s parent/teacher association, hard at work in the school garden
Many of us at MIET AFRICA were privileged to have worked with Prof Finn Reygan over the past decade, with our relationship strengthening particularly over the last few years. Finn contributed significantly through his active participation in several regional research studies conducted by MIET AFRICA, was one of the initiators of the recently established CSTL Research programme, and served on the CSTL Investment Portfolio Reference Committee.
Finn’s passion and enthusiasm for ensuring the rights of all people are upheld, especially the most marginalised, was infectious, and he was able to influence attitudes for the good through his courage and willingness to speak out against injustice. An optimist with a positive outlook on life, none of us will forget Finn’s robust, joyful laughter that could be recognised from afar!
An extremely proud and caring father and grandfather, our condolences and comforting thoughts and prayers are sent to his children, grandchild, siblings and all his loved ones.
Hamba kahle, Finn - may your soul rest in peace.
Love from all at MIET AFRICA
More than a year after the first known case of Covid-19 set in motion a raft of lockdown restrictions, social science researchers have released new data about the impact of disrupted schooling on children.
The findings confirm what many warned would happen — early grade reading among primary school children in lower quintile schools has suffered a significant setback.
Imagine a class of 100 Grade 1s on their first day of school, bright-eyed and eager to learn. Of those 100 learners, at least 40 will drop out of school before finishing matric. School dropout has become normalised in many communities, deepening inter-generational poverty, joblessness and inequality.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, researchers estimated that between 230 000 and 300 000 learners dropped out of school each year. Yet, as a country, we are not doing enough to prevent learners from falling through the cracks of our schooling system.
Despite failing grade 3 and 4, Dumo is determined to get his matric. He wants to study Mechanical Engineering at University and this dream keeps him motivated to persevere with his schooling.
The annual matric pass rate is traditionally considered a measure of the health of our schooling system. This statistic is an important indicator for the basic education sector, but it does not tell us about learners’ pathways through school from Grade 1 to matric.
The matric pass rate only tells us about the percentage of learners who wrote their exams and passed. The pass rate does not tell us what percentage of the cohort of learners who started in Grade 1, actually made it to matric and passed.
Pictured at the FutureLife-Now! Sharing Meeting (from left) Amir Fouad, Assistant Regional Director, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Dr Lamboly G.N Kumbonek, Senior Programme Officer, SADC Secretariat, Thandi Chaane, CEO, MIET AFRICA, and Prof Robin Sannassee, SPO Education, Skills & Development, SADC Secretariat
A total of 130 representatives came together – some virtually and others in person – to participate in the first regional FutureLife-Now! Sharing Meeting of 2022.
The successful hybrid meeting took place in Cape Town from 15 to18 February and attendees included 74 government officials from 14 of the 16 SADC Member States, as well as representatives from the SADC Secretariat, the Swiss Agency for Co-operation and Development, MIET AFRICA and various development partners.
The meeting provided the SADC Member States with updates on FutureLife-Now! activities, the ESA Commitment evaluation and recommitment process, status of CSTL mainstreaming and the #1 Million Ubuntu Youth Leaders Movement.
Learners at Semonkong High School celebrate with traditional dancing
11 March 2022 was a busy day for Lesotho in general and for Semonkong High School in particular. Known as Moshoeshoe’s Day, it is an annual celebration in remembrance of the founder of the Basotho nation, the late King Moshoeshoe I, who died on the 11 March, 1870. A public holiday in Lesotho, this day is often celebrated by schools through sports activities such as athletics and soccer.
These festivities were interrupted by COVID-19, and did not take place during 2020 or 2021. However, this year, FutureLife-Now! project youth facilitator, Thabiso Samuel Sello, together with the school’s sports and cultural committees, made the decision to celebrate this year’s event. The day’s programme included many traditional dances and songs such as Ndlamo, Mokhibo, Selialia, Motebuko, Liphotha, and other cultural activities – all part of the Sesotho Arts and Culture curriculum.
It was an eye-catching event that started with a fun walk from the school to the small town of Semonkong. Students and teachers marched proudly in their African traditional attire while ululating residents from the nearby villages provided encouragement.
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