Petroleum Fund funds Botha-Bothe school

MAHALI TŠEETŠE

BOTHA-BOTHE – The Petroleum Fund has extended support towards inclusive education by donating essential assistive learning devices to Makokoaneng LECSA Inclusive School in the Botha-Bothe district.

The generous contribution comes in response to a call for help from the school’s principal following the Ministry of Education’s initiative to integrate learners with disabilities into mainstream schools.

As part of the transition to an inclusive educational model, Makokoaneng LECSA School now welcomes learners with visual impairments and other disabilities, creating an environment where education is accessible to all.

Recognizing the urgent need for specialized equipment, the Petroleum Fund provided devices designed to support students who are partially and completely blind.

The donation includes, recorders, voice calculators with protective carrying bags, compatible keyboards and walking canes for the blind; and Samsung Galaxy A9 tablets equipped with Talk-Back software to enable two-way communication.

Rorisang Mahlo, Public Relations Specialist for the Petroleum Fund, noted that sourcing these devices presented a significant challenge due to the lack of local suppliers, necessitating procurement from outside Lesotho an effort that incurred substantial costs.

“Although we do not have a formal mandate to support education, we saw an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of these learners,” Mahlo said.

“We recognize the financial hardships many families of children with disabilities face, and we are proud to offer our support.”

Makokoaneng LECSA Inclusive School Principal, Charles Sibeko, expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Petroleum Fund.

“We are more than willing to welcome every child with a disability because we believe they deserve the same opportunities as any other learner,” he said.

The principal also noted that having this inclusive school has saved parents from a struggle of having to find schools that accommodate disabilities and with these educational device learning will be more effective than before.

A representative from Lesotho National Federation of Organization’s of the Disabled (LNFOD) also praised the initiative and called for the establishment of more inclusive, model schools that ensure all learners regardless of ability can participate fully in academic and extracurricular activities.

The Petroleum Fund’s donation stands as a vital step toward bridging educational inequalities and creating a more inclusive future for all learners in Lesotho.