Teacher Training College and the Bus Stop Market

July 8th.
For our final full day in Maseru, we experienced what I considered a day of feeling like a spectacle. First, we visited the Lesotho College of Education. We met with a group of Administrators of the college and they filled us in on their mission and the difficulties they have as the only teacher training school in the nation. It was only very recently that Lesotho instituted free, compulsory primary education (standards 1-7). This has led to an increase in need for trained teachers, as approximately 88% of primary students are now enrolled. They graduate around 800 teachers a year, but there is still an issue of some teachers (primarily in the highlands) not being properly trained. We found many similarities when discussing the issues they face in education. There are issues with funding, with cultural differences between the highland and lowland students, and national assessments that aren't always culturally relevant. We then had tea with them and were told that we were going to be led to an art room.

Instead , as we walked outside, we saw a large gathering of people. As we turned the corner, we were led on to a stage in front of the entire student body of the teacher school. As Saul said, it felt a little like being a rockstar. They were excited to greet us, and performed a variety of traditional dances for us and for the crowd. They wanted to show us their culture and how important it was to them. It was loud and energetic, and exciting. After the performance, many rushed to meet us. To meet and see so many people dedicated to education was heartening to me.






Our guide, Lineo, then led us to the bus market in Maseru. She wanted us to see an average shopping experience for Maseru residents. There is a mall and many other stores in Maseru, but the stalls in the market were quite busy. It seems that one could find just about anything in the market. I said in the beginning that it felt like a day of being a spectacle, and this continued in the bus market. It's not every day that a large group of Americans wander through that market, so we were greeted with many curious looks and a lot of kind greetings. Overall, we've found Lesotho to be full of many friendly folks who are excited to meet us and curious about why we are here. We travel to Roma tomorrow, where we will get to experience a new community and get to work with students.

Written by Kristin


Some photos from the Bus Stop Market

Location:Maseru