At least 615 children from poor families in the Qacha’s Nek district will receive educational assistance from the Department of Social Welfare next year.  The assistance will be provided to children at Primary and High School levels.

In an interview with Lesotho News Agency (LENA) recently, the District Social Worker, Mrs. ‘Mants’enki Mphalane pointed out that, first preference will be given to orphans, needy children and those whose parents are disabled or unemployed.

Mrs. Mphalane further pointed out that the assistance is to be rendered through payment of school, examination and book fees.  School uniforms and stationary will be provided in special cases where parents do not afford.

Children in the District have been receiving educational assistance from a programme that was started in 1995 by the same Department.  This year 2000, a total of 365 children from Standard Two (second class in Primary school) to Form E (final class in High school) have received educational assistance of more than M380.000.  Of the total children, about 185 are in Secondary and High schools, while the rest are in the Primary. 

One of the Secondary School students who received the assistance remarked that, if it were not because of the assistance, it would not have been easy for her to further her studies from Primary level to Secondary level.

Besides educational assistance, the Department is assisting more than 50 destitute children with foodstuffs, while 210 receive M50 every month.