SOS Schools in Lesotho

SOS Nursery School Maseru, Lesotho

The SOS Nursery School Maseru has about 90 children, most of whom are from the local community. The lunch provided at the nursery school is for many of the children the only meal for the day.

Update from 2008:

• The Nursery school had visitors from American International School who wanted to learn SOS approaches on pre-school education and also to see the learning materials used in the facility.

• Proper documentation of children’s progress was done-use of portfolios. Children’s files were updated.

• Workshops were conducted by the principal on proper lesson planning and recording of children’s progress.

• Budget administration and adherence to the organisation’s financial policy was improved.

• The Nursery School General Assistant resigned in August and a temporary assistant was engaged. The position has been advertised and a new person is to be appointed in January 2009.

• The book exhibition was held at the nursery school premises by Longman Lesotho.

• Some renovations were done at the nursery school including; fixing new carpet in the playrooms and the staffroom, cleaning of the office carpet, fixing the blinds in the office and staffroom and maintenance of toilet leakages. The general breakages on play-grounds were properly attended to.

• There has been some restructuring to the nursery school curriculum to match the ECCD and SOS approaches and also to include the jolly phonics. The Graduations were held and glorified by the presence of Her Royal Princess who presented the nursery school graduates with certificates.

SOS Primary School Maseru

The SOS Primary School opened in 1995. There are over 400 pupils, the majority of whom come from the local communities on scholarships. The school works in partnership with other local schools in the development of the curriculum.

Update from 2008:

• The remedial classes were conducted in April and May for identified children at infant section with learning difficulties.
• A successful PTA meeting was held and a committee is in place to promote participation of parents in school activities.
• Some teachers are very helpful in preparing the SOS youth for the Admission tests to SOS Ghana College. Children are offered extra lessons on English, Mathematics and Science.
• An air trip was taken by all learners in upper section (classes 4 to 7) with the intention to introduce them to air as a mode of transport.
• The principal with some of the teacher attended the training workshop organised by the Examinations Council on preparations for 2008 examinations.
• The school was visited by two schools (Letsika Primary School and Tholoana -Bophelo respectively) which were both interested in maintaining good relations with the SOS Primary School and wanted to learn about the approaches that the school is deploying to obtain good educational performance.
• The French Embassy has withdrawn the services of a French teacher and as a result the subject in not going to be offered in the near future. However they have shown a possibility to assist through training of a teacher who can continue to teach the subject.
• The Ministry of Health (Oral Department) visited the school and gave a health talk.
  

Accident: two children from the SOS Primary School and the nursery school respectively were involved in road accident on their way to school where the taxis knocked on each other, and crashed into an electricity pylon. The taxi which was carrying the children was a ride off but fortunately children had minor injuries and were treated as out-patients at the Hospital. The school lost one of the teachers who got sick during the Winter Holiday, hospitalised and passed away. The staff and school children participated in the burial processes in many ways.