7 - Improving the Quality of Education among Rural Learners through the Use of Open and Flexible Approaches in Lesotho’s Secondary Schools
Corresponding Author(s) : Thabiso Nyabanyaba
Journal of Higher Education in Africa,
Vol. 13 No. 1-2 (2015): Journal of Higher Education in Africa: Special Issue on Sustainable Rural Learning Ecologies: Border Crossing
Abstract
Despite gains made in the past two decades in improving access rates, learners in Lesotho continue to suffer from high dropout rates at primary level and poor access rates at secondary level, particularly in the rural areas. This paper draws on the findings from an intervention aimed at identifying and overcoming entrenched patterns of educational inequality and disad- vantage among Basotho learners and exploring what can be done about the poor completion rates in particular. The findings show important real and potential benefits arising from the use of open, distance and flexible learning for reversing the interruptions to schooling caused by poverty and HIV/AIDS among marginalized groups of learners in rural areas in Lesotho. Most importantly, the paper demonstrates the sustainability of affordable initiatives in terms of improving the quality of education among rural learners through the creation of circles of support around learners at risk of dropping out of school.
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- Atkin, C., 2003, ‘Rural communities: human and symbolic capital development, fieldsapart’, Compare 33 (4), 507–18.
- Bandura, A., 2001, ‘Social cognitive theory: an agentic perspective’, Annual Review of Psychology 52 (1): 1–26.
- Bronfenbrenner, U., 1976, ‘The experimental ecology of education’, Educational Researcher 5 (9): 5–15.
- Bronfenbrenner, U., 1979, The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
- Bronfenbrenner, U. and Morris, P.A., 1998, ‘The Ecology of Developmental Processes’, in W. Damon and R.M. Lerner, eds, Handbook of Child Psychology, Volume 1: Theoretical Models of Human Development, New York: Wiley.
- Bureau of Statistics, 2002, Lesotho Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire Survey 2002, Maseru: Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
- Clark, C. and �immerman, G., 2000, ‘Greater understanding of the local community: a community-based education programme for rural schools’, Art Education 53 (2): 33–39.
- Conger, R.D. and Elder, G.H., 1994, Families in Troubled Times: Adapting to Change in Rural America, New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
- Creswell, J., 2009, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed MethodsApproaches, London: Sage.
- Davis�Keane, P.E., 2005, ‘The influence of parent education and family income on child achievement: the indirect role of parental expectations and the home environment’, Journal of Family Psychology 19 (2): 294–304.
- Demi, M., Coleman-Jensen, A. and Snyder, A., 2010, ‘The rural context and post- secondary school enrollment: an ecological systems approach’, Journal of Research in Rural Education 25 (7). Retrieved from http://jrre.psu.edu/ articles/25-7.pdf.
- Glaser, B. and Strauss, A., 1967, The Discovery of Grounded Theory, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
- John, V. and Rule, P., 2004, ‘Shifting ground: making sense of context in examining HIV/AIDS and schooling’, Journal of Education 38: 165–86.
- Kadzamira, E.C., Banda, D.M., Kamlongera, A. and Swainson, N., 2001, The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Primary and Secondary Schooling in Malawi: Developing a Comprehensive Strategic Response, Lilongwe: Ministry of Education Science and Technology, University of Malawi.
- Kimane, I. and Mturi, A.J., 2001, Rapidly Assessing Child Labour in Lesotho. Report submitted to the Government of Lesotho and UNICEF, Maseru.
- Lerotholi, L.M., 2001, Tuition Fees in Primary and Secondary Education in Lesotho:The Levels and Implications for Access, Equity and Efficiency, Paris.
- Mahlomaholo, M.G., 2012, ‘Social communication towards sustainable physical learning environments’, Journal for Communication and Information Impact 17: 3–20, Special issue.
- Melby, J.N., Fang, S., Wickrama, K.A.S., Conger, R.D. and Conger, K.J., 2008, ‘Adolescent family experiences and educational attainment during early adult- hood’, Developmental Psychology 44 (6): 1519–536.
- Merriam, S., 1988, Case Study Research in Education: A Qualitative Approach, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
- Ministry of Education and Training, 2012, Education Statistical Bulletin 2012, Maseru: Government of Lesotho.
- Nyabanyaba, T., 2009, ‘Factors influencing access and retention in secondary school- ing for orphaned and vulnerable children and young people: case studies from high HIV and AIDS prevalent contexts in Lesotho, SOFIE opening up Access Series, No. 7. Retrieved from http://sofie.ioe.ac.uk/publications.
- Nyabanyaba, T., 2010, ‘Developing, implementing and evaluating the SOFIE intervention package to support educational access for vulnerable students’. Retrieved from http://sofie.ioe.ac.uk/publications.
- Pridmore, P., 2009, ‘SOFIE School�based intervention’, SOFIE Newsletter 3: 2–3.
- Retrieved from http://sofie.ioe.ac.uk/publications.
- Pridmore, P. and Jere, C., 2011, ‘Education and social justice in challenging times’,Compare 41 (4): 523–31.
- Pridmore, P. and Yates, C., 2006, ‘The role of open, distance and flexible learning (ODFL) in HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation for affected youth in South Africa and Mozambique’, Researching the Issues 61, London: DFID.
- Scaramella, L.V. and Keyes, A.W., 2001, ‘The social contextual approach and rural adolescent substance use: implications for prevention in rural settings’, Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review 40 (3): 231–51.
- Smiley, A.C., 2011, ‘Redefining vulnerability: orphanhood, educational participation, and agency among secondary school learners in Lesotho’, unpublished doctoral thesis, Columbia University.
- Tsotetsi, C., 2013, ‘Implementation of professional teacher development policies: a continuing education perspective’, unpublished doctoral thesis, University of the Free State.
- UNICEF, 2007, The Humanitarian Action Report 2007, New York: UNICEF.
- Unterhalter, E., Hoppers, C. and Hoppers, W., 2000, ‘The Elusiveness of Integration: Policy Discourses on Open and Distance Learning in the 1990s’, in C. Yates and J. Bradley, eds, World Review of Distance Education and Open Learning. Volume 12, London: Routledge Falmer.
- Yin, R., 2003, Case Study Research: Design and Methods (3rd edition), ThousandOaks, CA: Sage.
References
Atkin, C., 2003, ‘Rural communities: human and symbolic capital development, fieldsapart’, Compare 33 (4), 507–18.
Bandura, A., 2001, ‘Social cognitive theory: an agentic perspective’, Annual Review of Psychology 52 (1): 1–26.
Bronfenbrenner, U., 1976, ‘The experimental ecology of education’, Educational Researcher 5 (9): 5–15.
Bronfenbrenner, U., 1979, The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Bronfenbrenner, U. and Morris, P.A., 1998, ‘The Ecology of Developmental Processes’, in W. Damon and R.M. Lerner, eds, Handbook of Child Psychology, Volume 1: Theoretical Models of Human Development, New York: Wiley.
Bureau of Statistics, 2002, Lesotho Core Welfare Indicators Questionnaire Survey 2002, Maseru: Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Clark, C. and �immerman, G., 2000, ‘Greater understanding of the local community: a community-based education programme for rural schools’, Art Education 53 (2): 33–39.
Conger, R.D. and Elder, G.H., 1994, Families in Troubled Times: Adapting to Change in Rural America, New York: Aldine de Gruyter.
Creswell, J., 2009, Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed MethodsApproaches, London: Sage.
Davis�Keane, P.E., 2005, ‘The influence of parent education and family income on child achievement: the indirect role of parental expectations and the home environment’, Journal of Family Psychology 19 (2): 294–304.
Demi, M., Coleman-Jensen, A. and Snyder, A., 2010, ‘The rural context and post- secondary school enrollment: an ecological systems approach’, Journal of Research in Rural Education 25 (7). Retrieved from http://jrre.psu.edu/ articles/25-7.pdf.
Glaser, B. and Strauss, A., 1967, The Discovery of Grounded Theory, London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
John, V. and Rule, P., 2004, ‘Shifting ground: making sense of context in examining HIV/AIDS and schooling’, Journal of Education 38: 165–86.
Kadzamira, E.C., Banda, D.M., Kamlongera, A. and Swainson, N., 2001, The Impact of HIV/AIDS on Primary and Secondary Schooling in Malawi: Developing a Comprehensive Strategic Response, Lilongwe: Ministry of Education Science and Technology, University of Malawi.
Kimane, I. and Mturi, A.J., 2001, Rapidly Assessing Child Labour in Lesotho. Report submitted to the Government of Lesotho and UNICEF, Maseru.
Lerotholi, L.M., 2001, Tuition Fees in Primary and Secondary Education in Lesotho:The Levels and Implications for Access, Equity and Efficiency, Paris.
Mahlomaholo, M.G., 2012, ‘Social communication towards sustainable physical learning environments’, Journal for Communication and Information Impact 17: 3–20, Special issue.
Melby, J.N., Fang, S., Wickrama, K.A.S., Conger, R.D. and Conger, K.J., 2008, ‘Adolescent family experiences and educational attainment during early adult- hood’, Developmental Psychology 44 (6): 1519–536.
Merriam, S., 1988, Case Study Research in Education: A Qualitative Approach, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ministry of Education and Training, 2012, Education Statistical Bulletin 2012, Maseru: Government of Lesotho.
Nyabanyaba, T., 2009, ‘Factors influencing access and retention in secondary school- ing for orphaned and vulnerable children and young people: case studies from high HIV and AIDS prevalent contexts in Lesotho, SOFIE opening up Access Series, No. 7. Retrieved from http://sofie.ioe.ac.uk/publications.
Nyabanyaba, T., 2010, ‘Developing, implementing and evaluating the SOFIE intervention package to support educational access for vulnerable students’. Retrieved from http://sofie.ioe.ac.uk/publications.
Pridmore, P., 2009, ‘SOFIE School�based intervention’, SOFIE Newsletter 3: 2–3.
Retrieved from http://sofie.ioe.ac.uk/publications.
Pridmore, P. and Jere, C., 2011, ‘Education and social justice in challenging times’,Compare 41 (4): 523–31.
Pridmore, P. and Yates, C., 2006, ‘The role of open, distance and flexible learning (ODFL) in HIV/AIDS prevention and mitigation for affected youth in South Africa and Mozambique’, Researching the Issues 61, London: DFID.
Scaramella, L.V. and Keyes, A.W., 2001, ‘The social contextual approach and rural adolescent substance use: implications for prevention in rural settings’, Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review 40 (3): 231–51.
Smiley, A.C., 2011, ‘Redefining vulnerability: orphanhood, educational participation, and agency among secondary school learners in Lesotho’, unpublished doctoral thesis, Columbia University.
Tsotetsi, C., 2013, ‘Implementation of professional teacher development policies: a continuing education perspective’, unpublished doctoral thesis, University of the Free State.
UNICEF, 2007, The Humanitarian Action Report 2007, New York: UNICEF.
Unterhalter, E., Hoppers, C. and Hoppers, W., 2000, ‘The Elusiveness of Integration: Policy Discourses on Open and Distance Learning in the 1990s’, in C. Yates and J. Bradley, eds, World Review of Distance Education and Open Learning. Volume 12, London: Routledge Falmer.
Yin, R., 2003, Case Study Research: Design and Methods (3rd edition), ThousandOaks, CA: Sage.