QACHA’S NEK — Squeals of delight now echo across the grassy schoolyard of Qacha’s Nek Government Primary School.
Under the clear winter sky, young pupils climb a playhouse built from recycled black shade netting and wooden poles, using a hand-crafted ladder to reach the top before sliding down a traditional Moswinki.
Nearby, a handmade bus and tractor assembled from sticks, shade netting, and painted wheels in blue and white spark imaginative adventures.
Some children hold a knitted teddy bear, gifted to encourage play and comfort at home.
Just two years ago, there was no playground — only bare space and minimal learning resources.
Today, thanks to the School Readiness Initiative (SRI), supported by the Network of Early Childhood Development of Lesotho (NECDoL) and funded by the Roger Federer Foundation, the school’s reception class is a vibrant, nurturing environment where learning is centered around play.
Inside the classroom, a teacher gently taps on a tablet screen to record a child’s progress using the ChildSteps early learning assessment tool. On the wall, colourful picture charts help another child confidently name shapes and colours.
“We have seen real change, ” the Principal’s testimony in an interview with the Agency.
“This is the kind of early learning we once only hoped for,” says Mrs. ’Makhotsofalang Sebilo, Principal of Qacha’s Nek Government Primary School. . . .
Ends/MAPM
