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Introduction
The Institute of Education dates back to 1961. Initially it was part of the Faculty of Education. Itwas given an independent status under Statute 30 (2) in August 1982.
Vision
Our vision is to be a leader in the provision of professional services for the education system of Lesotho.
Mission Statement
The Institute of Education’s mission is to promote educational development by responding to changing societal needs in the context of lifelong learning.
Management and Administration
The Institute of Education is responsible to Senate through an Advisory Board. The Director is responsible to Senate for the general organisation, administration, and activities of the Institute: coordinating its research and in-service education programmes and promoting the aims and objectives of the Institute, including its public relations and future development.
Objectives and Functions of the Institute
The following are the objectives of the Institute as they were revised and approved by the University Senate:
- To maintain adequate and effective professional contact between the University Departments, Ministry of Education and Training in the interest of continual improvement in education generally.
- To establish and maintain adequate professional contact between the University Departments and other educational bodies and institutions.
- To assist in curriculum development and planning in all areas of education and training.
- To encourage, coordinate, and provide facilities for research among educational institutions.
- To serve as a consultative and advisory body to the Ministry of Education and Training and other educational institutions on matters affecting the training of teachers and on all educational matters.
- To conduct regular staff seminars within the University in the area of education and related areas.
- To organise in-service training and extra-mural programmes which may result in further development and continual improvement of teachers’ abilities.
- To hold conferences, conduct seminars and workshops, and organise study programmes.
- To encourage and promote dissemination of professional information through education journals or other publications.
- To maintain close professional contact with other Institutes of Education elsewhere on matters of national educational interest.
- To maintain close professional contact with Institutions and bodies involved in all forms of educational interest.
Divisions of the Institute
Human Resources Development
Information and Documentation
Research and Evaluation
Part-time Studies
The Institute of Education houses the Part-time Studies Unit which coordinates education part-time programmes.
Research and Development
The Institute has developed a research agenda covering 22 broad areas. The agenda is responsive to national and institutional development needs. In this context, research helps in keeping abreast of new knowledge; achieving theory development goals; and meeting academic/professional needs, practical institutional needs and information needs of the public in general.
Training
The Institute has developed a training agenda covering 22 programmes/courses in its areas of competence. The agenda is designed to enhance, through continuing professional development, the capacities and competencies of individuals, groups and institutions, particularly in the education sector. In addition, members of the Institute’s academic staff teach courses in the Faculty of Education.
Professional Services
The Institute provides professional services in areas such as research, policy, training and information and communication technologies.
It also serves as the focal point or coordinator for a number of programmes, associations and networks. The following are examples of such networks and associations: Lesotho Educational Research Association (LERA); Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia Educational Research Association (BOLESWANA-ERA); Lesotho Guidance and Counselling Association (LEGCA); International Environmental Information System (INFOTERRA); The Southern Africa Renewable Energy Information Network (SAREIN) and Educational Research Network of Eastern and Southern Africa (ERNESA)
Documentation Centre
The Institute houses a computerised Documentation Centre which has grey literature in the fields of education and environment. It provides information service to researchers, scholars and students both within and outside the university.
Co-ordination of Research Projects/Associations/Networks and Linkages
The Institute serves as the focal point or coordinator for a number of programmes, particularly those with a research bias. The following are some of these programmes and activities.
1.0 Research Projects
The Institute of Education is currently involved undertaking a study on renewal of secondary education in Lesotho. The study looks at how the curriculum could be reformed in order to meet the needs and challenges facing the country. The institution is also developing a research proposal on the implications of free primary education on quality education as well strategies to strengthen free primary education.
2.0 Networks
2.1 INFOTERRA
In April, 1988 the Institute Documentation Centre became the Lesotho National Focal Point (NFP) for the International Environmental Information System (INFOTERRA). INFOTERRA is a unit of UNEP whose headquarters is Nairobi, Kenya. The Documentation Centre has since been serving as the centre for environmental information exchange between its local sources and the INFOTERRA Programme activity Centre (PAC) in Nairobi. The Institute staff, particularly in the Documentation Centre, is involved in other activities of INFOTERRA, such as training workshops and conferences.
2.2 SAREIN
The Southern Africa Renewable Energy Information Network (SAREIN) is a collaborative effort between the EU and Southern Africa aimed at promoting renewable energy (RE) development.
SAREIN members are Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, RSA, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The IE Documentation Centre serves as the Lesotho focal point and maintains a database of mailing address for organisations and individuals in Lesotho to whom relevant renewable energy information can be sent.
3.0 Associations
1.1 Lesotho Educational Research Association (LERA)
The Institute was instrumental in the establishment of LERA in 1982 and has been serving as it Secretariat ever since. The overall aim of this voluntary, non-profit making professional research capacity in Lesotho. The Institute of Education has been serving as the Secretariat of LERA and the BOLESWA Educational Research Association, particularly as it concerns the production of a journal publication, hosting the biannual symposia, and coordinating the Educational Research Network for Eastern and Southern Africa (ERNESA) activities.
3.2 BOLESWA Educational Research Association
The Institute of Education has been serving as the Secretariat for the BOLESWA Educational Research Association, a regional organisation established to cater for educational research activities in Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland.
3.3 BOLESWA Educational Research Award Scheme
The Institute of Education has been serving as the Secretariat for the BOLESWA Educational research Award Scheme by serving as its Secretariat. The scheme was launched in 1984 by the BOLESWA Educational Research Association in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
3.4 Educational Research Network of Eastern and Southern African (ERNESA)
LERAis theNational Coordinator for the Educational Research Network of Eastern and Southern Africa (ERNESA). The Institute of Education is the Secretariat of the network, while its Acting Director is the National Facilitator. The general aim of the network is to promote collaboration and information sharing among researchers in the member countries and in the region, as well as between the research community in the region and the research communities in the North and South.
3.5 Lesotho Guidance and Counselling Association (LEGCA)
The Institute played a key role in the establishment of the Lesotho Guidance and Counselling Association (LEGCA) in 1987. LEGCA is a registered, professional, non-profit making, autonomous and representative body whose aim is to promote the development, professional, collaboration and co-ordination of all guidance and counselling services in the country. The Institute has served as the Secretariat for the most part of its existence.
3.6 The International Round Table for the Advancement of Counselling (IRATE) Its aim is to provide an international forum for the exchange of ideas research findings and professional experience in the field of counselling
3.7 International Association for Educational Assessment (IAE). It provides a forum for the advancement and exchange of experience and ideas in educational assessment at the international level.
4.0 Linkages
4.1 Three-way academic link between the University of Lesotho, the Western Cape and Sussex
The Teacher Education Division has established a three way academic link between the University of Sussex, NUL and the University of the Western Cape. The major objectives of this link are facilitating staff development using the action research approach, undertaking joint research and publishing together.
4.2 Distance Education Association for Southern Africa (DEASA)
DEASA is an independent regional association established in 1972 with the overall purpose of facilitating inter-institutional communication links. It is a no-sectarian body whose main aim is to incorporate all institutions in Southern African region involved in distance education.
4.3 Links with other Information Centres
The Documentation Centre has established professional links with many centres and libraries, both local regional and international. It works very closely with the NUL Library and the Institute of Southern African Studies (ISAS) Documentation Centre. Internationally, it has links with such organisations as the international Bureau of Education (IBE), Geneva, Switzerland, and the Educational Research Information Centre (ERIC) in the United States of America.