By Matṧeliso Phulane
The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has handed over constructed two classrooms to Molikaliko Primary School which is owned by the the Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa (LECSA) after the Mohale dam construction project affected the residents’ properties.
Speaking at the event held on Friday last week Molikaliko, the LHDA chief executive, Tente Tente apologised for the delay for completion of school construction due to the Covid-19, which disrupted the construction that had begun in November 2019.
However, he indicated that much still has to be done as there were plans to supply electricity to the education facility.
“The process of strategic plan usually takes much longer, especially because there are those who are more responsible than me. As a result, we all have to gather different ideas together. In other words, we plan and God fulfils.
“LHDA has come a long way with LECSA thus in 2005 when it was resettled, therefore today we handover two classrooms, adding to two more which were built by LECSA. Each classroom will accommodate 40 pupils. They have desks, green boards and the drawers,” Tente said.
The event was also accompanied by planting some trees after the first category which was carried out by teachers and pupils. Apple trees were said to be the most common and successful trees to produce more fruits.
The chairperson of the board of the school, the Mamonyane Leboea thanked theLHDA for the property and promised that the community will take care of it for future use.
“On behalf of the board of the school, the church and the community we wish to thank the LHDA for such a great support as we used to encounter unpleasant situations which nearly ended up to school closure.
“It has never been an easy journey up since we were resettled in the year 2000 because the school was provided with the tent by the government and that is why it was named ‘litenteng,” she said.
Leboea further highlighted that they struggled a lot during winter season whereby pupils were not attending school properly due to cold weather. Apart from that, the school was in the process of being shut down by the ministry of education and training.
“In 2005 the Standard Sevene pupils had to go and write their examinations to another school. However, we hanged on through help of the parents since they did not give up. Rather, they brought their children to school even in such conditions,” Leboea added.
Furthermore, the principal of the school, Likeleli Lebone said LHDA really came to their rescue since the pupils used to share the two classrooms and that made teaching very difficult. She again pointed out they were over-burdened as they are the only two teachers.
“We are really grateful to LHDA for the construction of the classrooms even though children will continue to share. But the teaching process will be much better this time because we will be able to categorise them in smaller groups,” she observed.
Lebone indicated that in one classroom there used to be four groups of learners while the other one accommodated three attendees because the classrooms also accommodate Standard Seven pupils. As a result, teaching was very difficult because each class has to focus on its subjects.
LHDA division manager (social development and environment), Mahase Thokoa said school plays a crucial role in life, triggering the LHDA to take an initiative to build two classrooms.
The Mohale dam construction project disrupted the community properties which included buildings, land and trees.
“Mohale dam construction affected the community properties which among others included school which belonged to Lesotho Evangelical Church in Southern Africa. As a result, it (school) had to be relocated to where it is today including the compensation disbursement of M1.2 million, as it is our responsibility,” he said.
Thokoa added that there are reasonable measures taken to ensure that the implementation, operation and maintenance of the project are compatible with the protection and the existing quality of the environment.
He warned that theLHDA is mandated to ensure that the risks associated with resettlement are addressed and the livelihoods of affected people are restored.
LHDA is a multi-phased project to provide water to Gauteng region in South Africa and to generate hydro-electricity for Lesotho.
It was established in 1986 based on a treaty signed by government of the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa.
The project entails harnessing water from Senqu/Orange River in the Lesotho highlands through the construction of a series of dams. The Phase I of the project was completed in 2003 and inaugurated in 2004, and Phase II is currently underway.
