RP - Lesotho

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Observatory PASCAL
Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions PURE Regional Profile LESOTHO, SOUTHERN AFRICA Appendix 1 Region: Lesotho, Southern Africa Principal PURE contact: Julia Preece Title: Professor Institutional base with full postal mailing address: NUL, IEMS P/Bag A47 Maseru 100 Lesotho, Southern Africa Contact Details: Email: Tel: Mob: [email protected] +266 22 32 20 38 +266 585 66 985
Name of main collaborating region: Lesotho Suggested members of your Regional Co-ordinating Group (RCG) (between 3 and 5 Persons): Name, organisation and email: 1. Prof P Odonkor, Health Sciences, NUL [email protected] 2. Montseng Mofokeng, NFE Inspectorate, no email 3. Elizabeth Dabengwa, LANFE [email protected] 4. Dr. Setoi Setoi, IEMS [email protected] 5. David Croome, IEMS [email protected] 6. Rep from DPE/Lesotho Council of NGOs 7. Rep from Institute of Southern African Studies (ISAS), NUL
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions Suggested Peer Reviewer from region: ‘Identity’ of Region (eg. governmental admin. region; special development zone; informal ‘working reality’ region, etc) Landlocked country in Southern Africa, a least developed country (HIDPC), mostly rural, mountainous subsistence economy with 60% living below the poverty line, approximately 80% literacy rates, 3rd highest HIV prevalence rates in the world.
REGIONAL PORTRAIT (Please list key issues of interest and relevance to PURE) (i) Approx. population and any key features: (e.g. new migrant numbers) Other Social and Civic  1.8 million living in Lesotho.  Migrant working population to South African mines, but significant retrenchment in past few years.  Primary education is officially ‘free’ but 20% do not attend, particularly herd boys.  Majority population are under 40.  Adult literacy rates: 82.2% (HDI 2007/8).  Life expectancy at birth 42.6 years. Income inequality distribution extremely high. (ii) Other essential geographical features: Mountainous region, ranging from 1000 – 3000 meters above sea level, remote mountain settlements, poor road infrastructure except through main towns in the lowlands. (iii) Economy, industries and employment features: Largely rural subsistence economy, some exports of Textiles, tourism, water is exported to South Africa, some diamonds.
KEY ISSUES AND CHALLENGES CONFRONTING THE REGION (i) Economic issues: 1. Poverty. 2. Food shortages. Key websites for more information: 1. http://www.bos.gov.ls/ 2. http://www.wfp.org/newsroom/in_depth/Africa/sa_lesotho020705.asp?section=2&sub_section =2
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions (ii) Social issues including health: 1. Unemployment. 2. Limited healthcare infrastructure. 3. HIV/AIDS. Key websites for more information: 1. http://www.mapsofworld.com/lesotho/health/care.html
(iii) Environmental issues: 1. Environmental degradation. 2. Soil Erosion. Key websites for more information: 1. http://www.eoearth.org/article/lesotho (iv) Cultural issues: 1. Challenges of traditional culture versus globalisation. 2. Gender power relations. Key websites for more information: 1. http://www.undp.org.ls/millennium/default.php
(v) Other issues or dimensions: (e.g. political & administrative, civic and participation) 1. Lesotho is a constitutional monarchy. 2. Some political instability in the past ten years. 3. Decentralisation. Key websites for more information: 1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/country_profiles/1063291.stm
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions UNIVERSITY AND OTHER HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS (HEIs) PORTRAIT (Please describe in a few words the HE system operating in the region, in terms of any important matters, the following): (i) Structure, legal and financial status of HE system NUL is Lesotho’s only government university, institutional management is according to British system, teaching is based on semester system. Chancellor is the King of Lesotho. NUL was originally Pius 12th college, then University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland. The universities became separate institutions during the 1970s and 80s. (Second, private university in Lesotho is Limkokwing since 2008). 95% government funded. (ii) Main priorities for the HEIs in the region Main priorities within region:  Poverty reduction  Environment  HIV/AIDS  Strengthening civil society. (iii) Relevant recent changes and developments in policy and/or practice Lesotho’s governance is subject to international donor agency influences. HEI practices are dictated by changes in social & technical issues but not necessarily keeping up with them. SADC protocol also influences practice and policy – eg issues of quality assurance & qualifications framework are relatively new points of focus. MDGs influence policy focus of HEIs. (iv) Ways of organising and managing within the HEIs The university has a decentralized structure with seven faculties and 3 institutes which are responsible to senate. All are expected to contribute to teaching, research and community service. Total student numbers are approximately 11000 (including approx 3000 PT.) P/G students less than 3% of student population. Senate sets policy framework on academic matters and is chaired by VC. Legal status of NUL is enshrined in NUL Order 1992 and Act 2 of 2002. Council is the supreme governing body of the university. NUL Management team consists of VC, PVC, Registrar, Bursar, Librarian and Dean of Student Affairs. HE Act 2008 has established Council for Higher Education (CHE). It has a strategic Plan for 2007-2012. See: http://www.nul.ls/ HEIs in REGION 1. Limkokwing 2. Lesotho College of Education 3. Nation Health Teaching College 4. Lerotoli Polytechnic 5. Lesotho Agricultural College Maseru Maseru Maseru Maseru Maseru
These institutions are seen as tertiary, rather than higher education institutions. There are other private sector institutions at varying levels of accreditation.
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions PURE Regional Profile LESOTHO, SOUTHERN AFRICA Appendix 2 Regional Aspirations and Agenda 1. What aspects of regional development and the role of higher education in particular do you wish to engage with, focus on and improve, through your involvement in PURE? Social and civic values: health, poverty, civil society, social inclusion, older adults. (a) From the point of view of the region and its priorities, objectives and ways of working? The region has an interest in enhancing understanding of civic participation in development, development of self reliance and reduction of poverty and improvement of health, particularly reproductive health. This means the focus is on widening participation in non-formal education and developing self-help initiatives, including entrepreneurship and skills to sustain them. Also concerned with raising awareness of reproductive health issues, maternal and child health and how to live healthy lifestyles. (b) From the point of view of the higher education institutions and their priorities, objectives and ways of working? The NUL wishes to widen participation in access to education, and is strongly focused on health, agriculture, entrepreneurship, teacher education and community development issues. 2. In terms of the wider global, political, administrative, economic and environmental setting it was agreed at the PURE Glasgow working meeting (September 2008) that the following aspects (included in Briefing Paper No. 3) were of wide general significance for the PURE project as a whole: (a) What role are strong national and/or regional policies in favour of third mission playing to overcome barriers for PURE work in regions? The university’s third mission of ‘community service’ is linked to the development needs of the nation. (b) Will strong national and regional policies in favour of sustainable development have an impact on PURE activity on environmental issues? Environmental issues such as: noise pollution, water, sanitation, soil erosion, desertification, deforestation, litter, waste management, coping with unpredictable rainfalls all have an effect on poverty, self help and sustainable development, so in this way our topic areas are relevant to student research projects but not necessarily impacting on change. (c) Will strong policies on implementing LLL at national and/or regional levels have an impact on PURE activities? (LLL = life long learning?)? The university and government education sector strategic plan are committed to lifelong learning. At government level lifelong learning tends to focus on literacy and non-formal education, while at tertiary level lifelong learning includes opportunity for continuing
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Place Management, Social Capital and Learning Regions education, access to education and continuing professional development. Government lifelong learning focus is on literacy with some reference to post-literacy in context of income generating skills. ODL policy ha been developed for the education sector. (d) Will strong national and/or regional innovation and research policies have as impact on PURE activities? The government has poverty reduction, agriculture, health development, science and technology and universal basic education as amongst its main priorities. The government is supportive of research that addresses these issues, as well as the other issues identified in (a). However, the government is unable to increase its subvention to the university, commensurate with the university’s needs. So future efforts to secure additional research funding will have to be sought from non-government sources. (e) Will strong and/or regional policy on administrative and governance issues have an impact on PURE activities? Policy of decentralisation may provide opportunities for university to work with local authorities. (f) How is the third mission seen and developed, and how central is it to the future especially of nonelite universities? On the whole universities in developing countries take their third mission seriously since higher education is directly linked to the development of the nation. All academic staff are expected to undertake teaching, research and community service. Teaching staff do carry out community services in relation to time and financial constraints. (g) Is the globalisation of the economy changing regions' ecological, social and cultural policies? If so, how will it impact on PURE activities in the region and the university? Globalisation has an effect, particularly in terms of ICT and use of cellular phones. But the impact is uneven. The government’s poverty reduction strategy, ICT policy, Vision 2020 and education sector strategic plan all recognise the impact of globalisation on the nation and its region. There are policy plans to develop stronger infrastructure that will facilitate engagement with globalisation processes. Lesotho is an open economy. Any changes in the pattern of world trade can have an immediate impact on Lesotho economy, employment and income streams. 3. At this stage, do you have a clear sense which subject(s) of special interest you would like to concentrate on in a PURE regions sub-group; for example – ecotourism, SME development, megaevents like the Olympics, cultural development and creative arts, etc? We have identified the topic social and civic engagement – in particular, poverty reduction, health, civil society, older adults. We would be interested in the following sub-group specialism(s):  HIV/AIDS, health development issues.  Poverty reduction and the role of non-formal education in this process.  Civil society and the part it plays in contributing to democracy, human rights and development.  Engagement of the elderly.
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