Maseru, Jan.13—Principal Secretary in Ministry of Education and Training Mr. Rats’iu Majara says a school with low roll is still a school especially if such school is located where there are no other schools.
This he said responding to a case of Child Jesus High School, a Roman Catholic institution situated at Ts’oeneng Rothe which in 2025 had a roll of 17 students from grade 8 to 11.
He said it is not easy to close down a school with low roll saying there are factors to consider before closing which include the location of the school, number of schools in the area etc. He said this is to ensure that students would not be worse off saying children have to enrol at nearby schools so that they do not walk long distances to get to school.
Commenting on whether the ministry still routine inspections does, Mr. Majara indicated that inspections are being done though the rate has declined over the years. Therefore, he said they have decided to intensify the inspections from this year.
On the other hand, Catholic Schools Proprietor Reverend Father Bereng Mosuoe confirmed that the said school had a low roll but said this was due to poor management and conflicts within the school. He however said they have employed a new principal and hopefully things will change.
He said they are going to give the new principal the next two years to see if there is going to be any change. He pointed out if there is no change then they will be forced to maybe close down the school.
Moreover, Rothe constituency Member of Parliament Mr. Lebohang Phohleli indicated that the school used to have a roll of about 572 in the past saying over the years they experienced deterioration due to maladministration.
He said since there are schools in nearby villages such as Ha-Mokhalinyane, Masite and Ha-Tholo, they even thought of turning it into a vocational school but since there is a new principal, they might halt that thought for now.
Meanwhile to achieve SDG 4 on Education, requires concerted efforts from governments, organizations and communities to ensure that quality education is accessible to all, leaving no one behind. Investments in education, policy reforms and inclusive practices are crucial to realizing this goal and promoting sustainable development worldwide.
Ends/AT/BM
