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17 February 2009
There
is no doubt that by their very presence in Lesotho, our UNV
volunteers are the greatest advocates for the features and benefits
of Volunteerism for Development. In being visible among the people,
in government and within UN agencies and partner organisations; in
contributing to delivery on their projects and on the work of UNV
Lesotho, our volunteers are, themselves advocacy, integration and
mobilization in action. The UNDP office is proud to provide
managerial and operational support to the UNV Programme in Lesotho.
MDG Goal 4. ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION
The Government of Lesotho is committed to the provision of basic and
quality education to all its people. Though enrolment in primary
schools had fallen since the mid-1980s, to 76 percent in 1990 and
further to 51 percent in 1999, in 2000, the Government embarked on a
programme of Free Primary Education (FPE), introduced gradually over
a 7-year period, beginning with Standard 1. As a result, primary
enrolment increased to 69 percent in 2000 and further increased to
85 percent in 2003. In support of the programme, 184 new schools
have been constructed, while 1,105 new classrooms were installed.
More than 1 million textbooks and other teaching materials were
supplied to 1,300 schools.
The
country continues to have a higher level of primary enrolment for
girls than for boys. This is unique in the developing world, where
it is customary that girls are discriminated against in accessing
primary schooling. In Lesotho the norm has been that boys from young
ages tend to herd livestock and later in life migrate to take up
work in the South African mining industry. Recently, the advantage
of girls over boys in primary education seems to be narrowing.
This WFP led project aims to provide food assistance to 80,000
primary school children mainly in the remote and
economically-disadvantaged highlands and mountainous regions to
retain them in school, improve their attendance and attract more
disadvantaged children to school. The project supports the
Government’s priorities as defined in the Poverty Reduction
Strategy. The assistance is in line with Lesotho’s efforts to halve
hunger and Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 1 “eradicate extreme
poverty and hunger” and MDG 2 “achieve universal primary education”
as well as the strategic objective to support access to education.
The school feeding programme also serves as a platform for related
activities and amongst others is expected to result in increased
HIV-awareness and knowledge among school-age children. School
gardens are established and lead to more diversified school meals
and raise the students’ awareness of agricultural practices and
environmental concerns.
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