Teachers suspended after students’ strike
MASERU — Three teachers at St James High School were suspended on Monday after students went on strike demanding books.
It was however not clear what role the teachers played in the students’ strike.
Students who spoke to the Lesotho Times said they were not happy with the school management after it failed to supply them with books despite having paid their book fees.
They also complained of a shortage of teachers in some subjects.
One of the students, who requested anonymity, said they did not have teachers for Computer Studies, Biology, Development Studies, Literature and Sesotho.
“Education is the key to success and we are always encouraged to attend school and do well but how can we learn with no teachers?” he asked.
Another student who also refused to be identified said it was unfair that they were being expelled from classes when they do not have books when they had already paid for them.
Some Form B students also complained that they have not had teachers for Religious Studies and Sesotho since January.
“We are very concerned because time is not on our side. Exams are drawing nearer, yet we have done very little work,” the students said.
The school’s acting principal, ‘Mathabiso Ramosoeu, confirmed the suspension but refused to give more details referring this newspaper to the head of the school Bishop Adam Taaso.
Efforts to contact Taaso for comment were not successful last night.
Comment by Rapoli on 19 April 2012:
hao!lekhoara lee le likolong le teng. ruri ke sono ka bokamoso ba bana ba rona, hauhang hle litichere.
Comment by linea on 19 April 2012:
this is a long time problem. jwale rona re ne re sa tsebe hore strike ke ntho e teng.
Comment by Mokotla on 19 April 2012:
I fully know Taaso,he’s the one who suspended those teachers.That moruti oa ‘makatsa ‘na cos he’s always carrying a gun with him so ha ba ne ba ka re nyoe-nyoe,hmn,khoho enetla matha ka lerapo thabeng.Kea ipotsa na ebe Afrika h’a na rata strike Roma koana na ebe mona entse se eena the instigator? Anyway,bana bano ba skolo seno ba bokheleke laqa,let alone step sa bona…ha ba fihla li tertiary koana ba tla be ba butsuoe phere-phere!
Comment by LEKHOARA on 19 April 2012:
Ho will suspension of teachers expedite the availability of books?
Ke lumellana le ‘muso that school principals should be assessed.Ke hore motho o hloloa feela to buy books and avail them to students.
I think curriculum ea matichere a primary and high schools should be reviewed [they should be taught planning and logic], I am always buffled ke the way ba nahanang ka eona.
Comment by Motebang on 19 April 2012:
I had carefully listened to the students’ grievances on TV. This shows exactly that basotho are the most wicked nation in the world. I don’t think the children of st.James High school teachers do attend that school. Those school management don’t even care about the future of other peoples’ children because they know their children are being well taught at other high performing schools like Lesotho High school, St Stephens High, Leribe English medium and any other schools that perform better because St.James high performs poorly, the teachers just don’t care because LCD govt didn’t bother to assess and restructure Lesotho teachers. Their main focus was on civil servants only, whilst most of Lesotho teachers are performing very poorly, they are incompetent to do their job effectively.
Overall COSC results are very poor in Lesotho. Most students do fail maths & Science and English because of incompetent teachers. But LCD govt upgrade/increase Teachers salaries with 40% to 100% in 2010 despite their poor performance. They didn’t even assess these teachers to determine their ability and teaching skills.
Comment by Mokotla on 19 April 2012:
Motebang ngoana ntate na ha lejoe le le mongobo o ka le pepeta hore le tsoe metsi? definately NO! So ha bana bao ba le hlooho li thata o no re matichere a ba etseng? Ha ba sa nke mosebetsi oa bona seriously ha se taba ea rona re le matichere.We’d be pushing hard to make them better but ha ba sa ikitlaetse le teng we live the rest to them.O so ba bone re groova le bona on Saturdays moo majoaleng…sik! Ba tonetse le ntho tse ba fetang mahlo ntho li sele tsena.
Comment by monna thaba on 19 April 2012:
hm hona ke bohlasoa ba motho ea moholo, ho ho holo ke ho omanya bana ba re ha ba ba le empa ba sa bafe libuka tsa chelete tsa bobona.sis. ho ja ke ne kele letona la thuto motho e mong o ne a tla e hlaba ka monkhane e sa le hoseng, ha ke moshanyana nna.
Comment by tichere on 19 April 2012:
Litechere tse suspendiloeng ke bo mang?
Comment by monatala on 20 April 2012:
teachers suspended? who’s responsible to suspend? very interesting. any1 who knows the Education Act, ke kopa a mphe the exact wording title ke e shebe moo neteng
Comment by mohlalefi on 21 April 2012:
Hase molato oa Ma-Tichere, Ha se molato oa li-Ngaka kapa li-Nese, ke molato oa ‘Muso o furaletseng sechaba,(Ke bona Sechaba sa heso Botle)
Comment by Tau on 22 April 2012:
che banna ke bohloko ekaba M’e ‘Masehloho o kae hahole tje. he khutla u tlo thusana mama. kolo ke sena sea wa
Comment by ntobe on 23 April 2012:
Motlatsa-mosuoe-hlooho! please ska leleka matichere. Please kopa rona barutoana ba mehleng reu thuse. Na hau bona li-cv tsa rona li sa tla amoheloa kae ha feela li ngotsoe ST. James Anglican. How meetings did you have with surbodinates teachers since January? none. Did you issue out any sort of communique concerning teacher’s attitude in the school environment? no. How did you find that those teachers intiated the strike? ka bo-bare akere? kene ke le sekolong mono ‘m’e you’re so corrupt le ba bang basetsi ‘moho le wena. why cant you leave this school wa joina moruti oa ka oa tsotsi “Taaso”. wena u ile classeng makhetlo a ma kae lokolo li butsoe? ho hoholo ke ho ja lofo ebe oa khaleha nxa.
Comment by ntobe on 23 April 2012:
@ Tau. Monna!atseba u nkhoptsa ‘M’e ‘Masehloho. Taaso o ne keke a etsa nyoefe-nyoefe pela hae mona lekhale.Ehaaaahahaha!
Comment by linea on 24 April 2012:
@ntobe maramosoeu ekaba principal eaba holoka eng? st agnes mission e wele bu.. ke mme eno.
Comment by Bukie on 25 April 2012:
chehe! the problem of books is still an issue even today. The worse part ke ha tichere eo tebela empa o patetse. Been there and i feel for bana bao ba bang. i like their spirit and le ka mokhoa oo ba ikemelang ka teng.