Browsing by Subject "Lesotho"

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    Analysing the road reserve encroachment in Maseru Lesotho using remote sensing and image analysis
    (2021) Ralitsoele, Teboho; Sithole, George
    The increasing rate of urbanization and the problem of road reserve encroachment mean that there is no space for road expansion and sometimes for maintenance and road furniture, these and other problems have exposed the problem of road reserve encroachment. The main aim of this study was to investigate methods of finding the road reserve encroachment in Maseru Lesotho using aerial photos. The study used single image analysis and multiple image analysis methods. In single image analysis, the study used three methods of image classifications to find objects that are in the road reserve. Under classification, the study used both supervised and unsupervised image classifications. For supervised classification, the study used the direct image classification method where the aim was to look for every object found in the road reserve. For the indirect approach, the study looked for the ground to find objects in the road reserve. For unsupervised image classification, the study assumed that small clusters are encroachment. In multiple images analysis, the study used the 2015 and 2017 images to determine permanent objects found to have encroached road reserves. Here the assumption was that encroachment does not change over time, which means that unchanged objects during the change detection have encroached on the road reserve. The confusion matrix was used to tell the best performing method and the results show that the indirect method, both in Qoaling and Maqalika performed best. All the methods showed that there was an encroachment on a road reserve, and found that permanent objects were; houses, shops, and shopping centers. The study recommended the use of images with higher resolution and more bands, also that images be taken frequently.
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    Contextualising journalism education and training in Southern Africa
    (2007) Banda, Fackson; Beukes-Amiss, Catherine M; Bosch, Tanja; Mano, Winston; McLean, Polly; Steenveld, Lynette
    In this article it is argued that journalism education in Southern Africa must contend with defining a new academic identity for itself, extricating itself from dependency on Western oriented models of journalism education and training, as this has been a perennial challenge in most of Africa.
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    Essays in economics of education: free primary education, birth order and human capital development in Lesotho
    (2015) Moshoeshoe, Ramaele Elias; Ardington, Cally; Piraino, Patrizio
    Given the low levels of educational standards in the developing world, the World Education Forum adopted the Dakar Framework for Action (DFA) in 2000, calling for quality 'Education for All' children of school-going age. Heeding to this call, many sub-Saharan African countries instituted Free Primary Education (FPE) policies. Lesotho instituted the FPE programme in 2000 on a grade-by-grade basis; first abolishing school fees in grade one, and then in successive higher grades each following year. This thesis consists of a short introductory chapter, three self-contained analytical chapters which empirically evaluate the importance of the FPE policy and family factors on education in Lesotho, and the summary chapter. It first examines the effect of the FPE policy on primary school enrolment in Chapter 2 using household level data for before and after the policy. A difference-in-differences strategy is employed to tease out the FPE effect. This exploits the variations in enrolment rates over time and across grade-groups (i.e. grades covered versus those not-yet covered) created by the implementation strategy of the programme. The findings demonstrate that the policy significantly increased enrolment of primary school-age children by at least 9.3 percentage points (or 13.2 percent). There is also evidence that this policy disproportionately raised enrolment levels of children from poor households and that of boys (the historically disadvantaged group), thereby bridging the gender- and wealth-related educational (enrolment) inequalities. In Chapter 3, the thesis draws on grade six pupils' standardised maths and (English) reading test scores from 2000 and 2007 to analyse changes in educational achievement and educational inequality, and the determinants of such changes. The analysis of the data shows that educational achievement increased significantly for both low- and high-ability pupils over the period of analysis. Nonetheless, this increase in achievement was accompanied by a significant rise in educational inequality, especially in reading test scores. The analysis further shows that these changes are statistically related to policy measures taken under the FPE programme. In particular, the results show that pupil-teacher ratio is negatively correlated with changes in reading performance of low-ability pupils, while teacher effort (i.e. subject-testing frequency and teaching hours per week) and grade repetition have a positive influence on changes in educational achievement. These results suggest that the fall in pupil teacher ratio between 2000 and 2007 has helped increase educational achievement. The analysis, however, reveals that much of the increase in educational achievement and educational inequality is unexplained by both school and pupils' family characteristics, which suggests that there could be other unobserved family and school factors that influence achievement and inequality. Therefore, in Chapter 4 of the thesis I shift focus from FPE policy effects and look at the impact of family factors on human capital accumulation. Specifically, Chapter 4 examines the effect of a child's order of birth on human capital development (i.e. enrolment, educational attainment, and schooling progression) using family-fixed effects models. Birth order has received much attention in the economics and psychology literature. Contrary to much of the evidence from developing countries, I find that birth order has a strong negative effect on human capital development. These birth order effects are pronounced in large families, and families with first-born girls, thereby revealing the strong girls' education preferences in Lesotho. Turning to potential pathways of these effects, I find that birth order effects are not propagated through family wealth, but mainly though birth- (or child-) spacing. These results suggest that there are some intra-household inefficiencies that could explain the changes in educational achievement and inequality.
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    Intergration of the intercultural aspect in the IGCSE curriculum at Machabeng College in Lesotho
    (2020) Phiri, Takako; Schmid, Karin
    La façon moderne d'enseigner le français langue étrangère (FLE) a évolué depuis les années 1990 quand l'aspect interculturel était mis au premier plan dans l'enseignement et l'apprentissage des langues étrangères. Cela s'explique par le fait que l'apprentissage d'une compétence interculturelle améliore la façon dont les apprenants interagissent avec la nouvelle langue à travers la communication orale ou écrite. D'abord, l'enseignement de la compétence interculturelle aide les apprenants à apprécier la culture cible en acquérant des connaissances socioculturelles. Par conséquence, ils seront respectueux de la culture de l'autre et ils seront capable à voir les choses de la perspective de l'autrui ayant subi un processus qui mène à l'ouverture d'esprit. À la fois, les apprenants seront sensibilisés au fait que l'apprentissage du FLE n'est pas seulement l'acquisition des savoirs linguistiques mais il y a aussi la compétence interculturelle. Il faut noter que la compétence interculturelle n'est pas innée et c'est pour cette raison qu'il est pertinent en cours du FLE. En fin de compte les apprenants seront capables d'interagir avec les gens d'une autre culture grâce aux savoirs interculturels acquissent. En intégrant la compétence interculturelle l'apprenant sera aussi sensibilisé à la notion de l'ethnocentrisme ainsi que les stéréotypes qui sont nocifs si on souhaite des échanges réussis lors des interactions sociales. Le but de cette recherche est d'explorer l'intégration de la compétence interculturelle dans l'enseignement du FLE dans le syllabus du Certificat Général International d'Education Secondaire (CGIES) en utilisant une approche interculturelle. Les deux objectifs interculturels visés sont la capacité de l'apprenant de se décentrer de sa propre culture et de se mettre à la place des autres. Une attention particulière sera accordée au thème de la vie sociale, centré sur les fêtes et les traditions ainsi que les comportements rituels. Cette recherche a été réalisée par la mise en œuvre cohérente d'objectifs interculturels selon le choix des méthodologiques et théories appropriées pour réaliser un syllabus interculturel. L'outil utilisé pour récolter les résultats était un questionnaire. Le questionnaire avait des questions quantitatives ainsi que qualitatives à des fins d'évaluation du savoir, savoir-faire et attitudes des apprenants. Le questionnaire Les résultats ont montré que d'abord, l'aspect interculturel peut être intégré au syllabus CGIES et puis, les apprenants ont eu des réactions positives face à une approche interculturelle. Ils ont fait preuve de faire un lien entre l'apprentissage d'une langue étrangère et la culture cible grâce à une approche interculturelle d'enseignement. Cette recherche aura plusieurs implications importantes dans le cadre du développement du curriculum CGIES concernant l'aspect interculturel. . Nous espérons que notre projet de recherche servira comme guide pratique aux autres enseignants du FLE qui suivent le curriculum CGIE et les résultats de cette étude auront des implications pour la planification du curriculum CGIES. Pour conclure, il y a des recommandations pour les futurs recherches dans ce domaine du CGIES du fait qu'il n'y a pas des recherches qui explorent ce programme en détail.
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    Outcomes of antiretroviral treatment programmes in rural Lesotho: health centres and hospitals compared
    (2013) Labhardt, Niklaus Daniel; Keiser, Olivia; Sello, Motlalepula; Lejone, Thabo Ishmael; Pfeiffer, Karolin; Davies, Mary-Ann; Egger, Matthias; Ehmer, Jochen; Wandeler, Gilles
    IntroductionLesotho was among the first countries to adopt decentralization of care from hospitals to nurse-led health centres (HCs) to scale up the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We compared outcomes between patients who started ART at HCs and hospitals in two rural catchment areas in Lesotho.MethodsThe two catchment areas comprise two hospitals and 12 HCs. Patients ≥16 years starting ART at a hospital or HC between 2008 and 2011 were included. Loss to follow-up (LTFU) was defined as not returning to the facility for ≥180 days after the last visit, no follow-up (no FUP) as not returning after starting ART, and retention in care as alive and on ART at the facility. The data were analysed using logistic regression, competing risk regression and Kaplan-Meier methods. Multivariable analyses were adjusted for sex, age, CD4 cell count, World Health Organization stage, catchment area and type of ART. All analyses were stratified by gender.ResultsOf 3747 patients, 2042 (54.5%) started ART at HCs. Both women and men at hospitals had more advanced clinical and immunological stages of disease than those at HCs. Over 5445 patient-years, 420 died and 475 were LTFU. Kaplan-Meier estimates for three-year retention were 68.7 and 69.7% at HCs and hospitals, respectively, among women (p=0.81) and 68.8% at HCs versus 54.7% at hospitals among men (p<0.001). These findings persisted in adjusted analyses, with similar retention at HCs and hospitals among women (odds ratio (OR): 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73–1.09) and higher retention at HCs among men (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.20–1.96). The latter result was mainly driven by a lower proportion of patients LTFU at HCs (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51–0.93).ConclusionsIn rural Lesotho, overall retention in care did not differ significantly between nurse-led HCs and hospitals. However, men seemed to benefit most from starting ART at HCs, as they were more likely to remain in care in these facilities compared to hospitals.
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    Report on Government Responses to New post-MFA realities in Lesotho
    (2006) Morris, Mike; Sedowski, Leanne
    Since 2000, Lesotho along with Kenya, Madagascar and Swaziland, has seen year-toyear doubling of clothing exports to the United States under the AGOA program. These SSA countries have experienced tremendous growth in the clothing industry mainly because of AGOA duty-free benefits, but also due to advantageous exchange rates with the US dollar. However, on 31 December 2004, the Multifibre Arrangement (MFA), the quota system that restricted Chinese exports to developed countries ended, freeing China and other large producers from binding quotas. Dire predictions were made about the end of the clothing industry in SSA, which accounted for 3% of global garment exports in 2004. The winners would be China, Vietnam, and Cambodia, where global garment production would concentrate. Indeed, eight factories in Lesotho have closed, leaving 5,800 unemployed. Their closure has been attributed to a lack of orders as retailers source their garments elsewhere and to the appreciation of the Rand against the dollar. With layoffs at other factories, the total number of jobs lost is 10,700. The objectives of this study are to investigate and analyse policy and other responses of the Lesotho government to the liberalisation of the clothing and textile industry, with a focus on the end of the Multi-Fibre Arrangement. Included should be an examination of whether the utilisation of preferential measures (AGOA, ‘Everything but Arms’, Cotonou) will have any ameliorating effects.” The primary focus therefore of the paper is addressing the policy issue of what can be done to assist the firms remaining in Lesotho. This project investigates what the government in Lesotho has done in the build up to the end of the MFA as well as what strategies are available to the government to cement the industry in Lesotho for the future. In order to do this we conducted a number of interviews with firms, stakeholders and government officials in Lesotho.
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    Trends in loss to follow-up among migrant workers on antiretroviral therapy in a community cohort in Lesotho
    (Public Library of Science, 2010) Bygrave, Helen; Kranzer, Katharina; Hilderbrand, Katherine; Whittall, Jonathan; Jouquet, Guillaume; Goemaere, Eric; Vlahakis, Nathalie; Triviño, Laura; Makakole, Lipontso; Ford, Nathan
    BACKGROUND: The provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to migrant populations raises particular challenges with respect to ensuring adequate treatment support, adherence, and retention in care. We assessed rates of loss to follow-up for migrant workers compared with non-migrant workers in a routine treatment programme in Morjia, Lesotho. Design All adult patients (≥18 years) initiating ART between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2008, and followed up until the end of 2009, were included in the study. We described rates of loss to follow-up according to migrant status by Kaplan-Meier estimates, and used Poisson regression to model associations between migrant status and loss to follow-up controlling for potential confounders identified a priori. RESULTS: Our cohort comprised 1185 people, among whom 12% (148) were migrant workers. Among the migrant workers, median age was 36.1 (29.6-45.9) and the majority (55%) were male. We found no statistically significant differences between baseline characteristics and migrant status. Rates of lost to follow up were similar between migrants and non-migrants in the first 3 months but differences increased thereafter. Between 3 and 6 months after initiating antiretroviral therapy, migrants had a 2.78-fold increased rate of defaulting (95%CI 1.15-6.73); between 6 and 12 months the rate was 2.36 times greater (95%CI 1.18-4.73), whereas after 1 year the rate was 6.69 times greater (95%CI 3.18-14.09). CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights the need for programme implementers to take into account the specific challenges that may influence continuity of antiretroviral treatment and care for migrant populations.
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    The utilization of theatre as a medium for development communication : an examination of the Lesotho experience
    (1990) Mda, Zanemvula K G; Taylor, Mavis; Fielding, Michael Lonsdale
    This thesis undertakes to investigate the nature and function of theatre-for-development. The objectives are to place theatre-for-development in the context of development communication theory, and to examine how theatre functions as communication. In the process of this examination a new model of theatrical communication in theatre-for-development, and a new paradigm of intervention, are evolved. The thesis begins by exploring the reasons for the failure of existing media systems to serve the needs of development in Africa. The failures are mostly due to the fact that the majority of the people have minimal or no participation in information generation and dissemination. Theatre is identified as one medium that could be utilized towards the realization of democratizing communication systems, and of giving the periphery access to the production and distribution of messages. The thesis then proceeds to review crucial literature in theatre-for-development and on development communication. The literature that has been selected has particular relevance in that while it treats current perspectives in these disciplines, it gives an historical account of theatre in Africa, and an account of the various perspectives and orthodoxies in the history of mass communication in general, and development communication in particular. The major case study of the thesis is a theatre-for-development cooperative society in Lesotho called Marotholi Travelling Theatre. The thesis therefore discusses the problems of underdevelopment in Lesotho. Since this study deals with-development communication, and attempts a structural examination of the context of theatre-for-development, the reader is introduced to the conditions that engender the theatre that is analyzed in the study. An account of the communication environment is also given. Because the communication environment of the rural areas in Lesotho is characterized by the predominant use of oral and traditional methods, popular and traditional media in Lesotho are also examined. After setting a theoretical framework by examining theatrical communication in theatre-for-development, and the rules underlying it, the thesis proceeds to analyze five plays created by Marotholi Travelling Theatre. First, a brief history of each play is given, and this is followed by an analysis of how the play functions as a vehicle for conscientization, and as communication. The plays are discussed in the context of five different methodologies of theatre-for-development: agitprop, participatory agitprop, simultaneous dramaturgy, forum theatre, and comgen theatre. It is in the process of this analysis that a new model of theatrical communication in theatre-for-development is evolved. The new paradigm of intervention that is posited also emanates from the analysis of the plays. It illustrates the extent to which the various methodologies of theatre-for-development can be utilized either for development (and, therefore, liberation), or for dissemination. The thesis concludes by focussing on the salient points that have emerged in the analysis. Crucial points are summarized, and recommendations for an effective utilization of theatre as a medium for development communication are posited.