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Principals give up their vacation time to learn from each other | FutureLife-Now! in Lesotho runs progress and sharing meetings for principals during the winter break
Posted by Khanyi Khuzwayo 
on
03 October 2024, 11:10
SAST
In general, people are motivated to do better when the efforts they have made are affirmed and they are given clear feedback about areas where they might improve. So it is with the 40 FutureLife-Now! Phases 1 and 2 schools, with the in-country team, collaborating with the Ministry of Education and Training, conducting principals’ progress sharing meetings during the schools’ winter vacation in July.
The team held four separate meetings, one in each of the four districts (Berea, Leribe, Mafeteng and Maseru) where the FutureLife-Now! programme is implemented. The meetings’ objectives were to ensure that the principals fully “own” the programme. As Kuleile Rantsane, the country manager notes, it surely shows something about their commitment that all 40 principals attended. The meetings provide a platform not only for reflection on how the programme is running, but also an opportunity for principals to collaborate and to share on progress made, best practices and lessons learnt.
These annual mid-year sharing meetings have become a key activity for advocacy, sharing of experiences and strengthening of cooperation among FutureLife-Now! schools. So in the Mafeteng District, for example, the principal of Matsepe High School, Lehlohonolo Molatela, shared how, after the recent snow had destroyed the school’s garden shade net, teachers and learners worked together to fix it. This provided a valuable learning experience for all and fostered collaboration and teamwork in the school. (Not to mention, of course, that the shade net got repaired and gardening activities could resume.) In the Leribe District, the principal at St Saviours High School, Victoria Kente, extolled the impact the One School, One Garden project has had on the school, the co-educators and community at large.
Another positive aspect of the meetings is that the four district education managers and four education inspectors also attended the meeting, thus demonstrating government ownership, committed leadership and guidance of the programme. Mopei Selikane, District Education Manager (Berea District) thanked the in-country team for organising the meeting, and she noted that principals’ presentations shed light on the activities at the schools. This, she added, made their (the officials’) task of reporting to their seniors so much easier.
In their post-event evaluations, participants voted the meetings a resounding success, having given them the opportunity for collaboration and action, and for strategising on how in-country reporting at district level should flow. Many expressed the wish that the meetings could be held more frequently—possibly quarterly.
