National University of Lesotho
National University of Lesotho Institutional RepositoryNot a member yet
806 research outputs found
Sort by
Error analysis for finite difference schemes
Get PDFNumerical methods are widely used in modern computations to approximate solutions to dif-
ferential equations. There are many types of numerical methods that can be considered, but
in this project, finite difference methods are considered. The underlying concept required for
development of numerical schemes is taken into consideration. Numerical schemes are devel-
oped and error analysis is always carried out for each scheme and solutions are developed using
those schemes. in finding numerical solutions θ = 0, θ = 1, and θ = 1
2 are considered and they
represent different schemes. It is found that the Crank-Nicholson scheme is the best performing
finite difference scheme.National Manpower Development Secretaria
A plea for restoring a culture of peace through education in Lesotho
Get PDFPurpose: The purpose of this theoretical study is to argue for the application of SeMoshoeshoe as
an African philosophy for educating for peace. We support UNESCO (2020) and UNICEF (2016)
advocacy that education is the only tool that can transform the world that is experiencing a surge
of violence and the disruption of peaceful human co-existence. In Particular, in this study we
contribute knowledge essential for transforming escalating acts of violence in Lesotho and other
countries with similar contexts. Research has attested that violence is surging in the Lesotho,
placing the country in the sixth highest murder rate in the world (UNDP, 2021).
Methodology: Guided by the Indigenous Wholistic theory (IWT), this study adopted a semi-
systematic review of literature as a research methodology to argue for SeMoshoeshoe as indigenous
resource for Education for Peacebuilding (EP). The study sought to answer; what call for Education
for peacebuilding in Lesotho? What are the connotations of SeMoshoeshoe in education for
peacebuilding? The content analysis method was used to analyse data.
Findings: The findings which yielded that the escalating acts of violence and moral decay in the
country call for education for peacebuilding. The study also found that the principles of
SeMoshoeshoe are essential resources for educating for a culture of peace.
Unique contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study concludes and recommends that
SeMoshoeshoe is a valuable indigenous resource for restoring a culture a peace, and should be
adopted as a cultural resource for the development of policy for educating for peace in the countrySel
A participatory action research in one primary school in Leribe
Get PDFIn Lesotho, where reports indicate a higher number of disabled learners at lower grades, hearing
impairment is the most prevalent disability. Despite the growing awareness of the necessity to
include hearing-impaired learners in second language learning, deaf learners in Lesotho continue
to face challenges in second language learning due to the absence of spoken language, differences
in grammatical structures of their mother tongue and that of ESL and curriculum failing to address
their unique educational needs. It is imperative for teachers to use approaches that address deaf
learners’ unique communication preferences. Total Communication Approach, which uses several
communication modalities to facilitate communication and learning, offers a solution. Utilising
an Embedded Mixed-Method design within a participatory action research framework, the study
employed one group's pre-and post-test of the Hammil & Larsen 4th edition Test of Written
Language to assess the efficacy of the Total Communication Approach in enhancing the writing
abilities of 30 deaf learners. The research was informed by three theoretical frameworks: Person-
Environment Fit Theory, Legitimation Code Theory, and Cognitive Theory of Multimedia
Learning. Research prioritised real-world outcomes over rigorous adherence to any particular
approach driven by pragmatism. To gather qualitative data, document analysis, focus groups,
and in-depth interviews were used, and subjected to David Rose’s (2005) Reading to Learn
Assessing Writing tool and ATLAS.ti software version 24. Pre-test and post-test results
and structured observations yielded quantitative data which was analysed by Excel and
descriptive statistics. Findings indicated that spelling, grammar, and vocabulary are the main
areas of difficulty for deaf learners in writing. However, the Total Communication Approach
helped expand their vocabulary by demonstrating how to employ possessives and adjectives that
center on the noun. Additionally, it improved spelling and vocabulary comprehension for English
as a second language, as seen by the use of novel terms and well-constructed sentences. Results
indicated that spelling was the most developed skill (mean 71.49), vocabulary came second (mean
36.68) and grammar the least developed skill (mean 17.17). After the intervention, the mean scores
for all deaf boys were 67.67, and for all girls, they were 57.67, indicating notable progress for
each gender. The study concludes that having access to information through a variety of channels
contributed to comprehension and recall of writing. The study suggests creating literacy programs
based on the Total Communication Approach and adjusted for different levels of deaf learners as
traditional assessments might not capture their writing well enoughNational Manpower Development Secretaria
The mediating role of school support and resources
Get PDFThis study investigates the acceptance and utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) among in-service teachers in
Lesotho, focusing on the mediating role of school support and resources (SSR). In Lesotho’s educational land-
scape, which is characterized by a growing interest in technology integration, this study fills an essential gap in
the existing literature by exploring in-service teachers’ perspectives on AI adoption and the mediating influence
of SSR. Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as the theoretical framework,
the study adopts a cross-sectional design, collecting data from a sample of 315 in-service teachers through online
surveys. The data was analyzed using maximum likelihood estimation. The results reveal a substantial positive
relationship between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and a positive attitude towards AI, with SSR
playing a pivotal role as a complementary mediator in these connections. However, the study identifies a non-
significant relationship between technical proficiency and behavioral intention, suggesting a need for further
investigation into the technical skills essential for effective AI integration. The results highlight the critical role of
SSR in shaping in-service teachers’ intentions to use AI in their teaching practices. As a result, the study rec-
ommends tailored continuous professional development programs and collaborative learning communities to
enhance teachers’ skills. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of advocating for policies that support AI
integration in education and underscores the ethical considerations related to AI use. We discuss the implications
of our results concerning integrating AI into teachers’ teaching practices in schools and outline future directions.Sel
An assessment of the effectiveness of the International Court of Justice in the maintenance of International peace and security
Get PDFThe United Nations system was born out of global strife and suffering caused by the two
devastating world wars. Since the end of World War I one of the main concerns of the
international community was the establishment of institutions that would work to maintain
international peace and security. The commitment by states in the UN Charter not to resort to
armed conflict is a testament of the desire of the international community to cherish peace. The
United Nations itself was designed to ensure that it has the capacity to safeguard peace. While
disputes between states are inevitable, the UN has mechanisms in place to resolve these disputes
peacefully. One such mechanism is the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Established as the
principal judicial organ of the UN, the Court has an important role of resolving legal disputes
between states. Supporting the Court’s work is the Security Council which not only has the
power to recommend referral of disputes to the ICJ or enforce the decisions of the Court but also
share the responsibility to preserve international peace and security with the Court.
The UN system has however shown some cracks. The recent inability to prevent a costly war in
Ukraine and Gaza as well as failure to bring to a halt the suffering of the Rohingya Muslims
facing persecution in Myanmar brings spotlight to the UN system, including the ICJ. This study
therefore examines the effectiveness of the ICJ in resolving disputes that threaten international
peace and security. The study examines the volume of cases brought to the Court’s attention or
order to determine whether this forum has been effectively used. It also assesses the rate of
states’ compliance with the ICJ’s decisions as well as the extent to which there has been
enforcement action in cases where there is non-compliance. The study argues that the ICJ has notsucceeded in its role of resolving disputes that threaten international peace and security. It makes
recommendations on some reforms that can be implemented in order to make the Court an
effective organ that can contribute to the realisation of one of the UN’s most important
objectivesNational Manpower Development Secretaria
The case of Mafeteng
Get PDFThis study focused on the contribution of Rural Women’s Assembly (RWA) Crop Farming and Rural Women Livelihoods in Lesotho. It highlights the Rural Women’s Assembly crop farming activities and how these activities improve the member’s household livelihoods security. The objectives were to investigate the extent to which crops selected for crop farming support improvements in food and nutrition security for all household members of the assembly; to establish accessibility of land to rural women members of the assembly; and to investigate the impact of crop farming on rural women household members livelihood security.The qualitative methods were utilised in this study in collection and analysis of data, and a case study approach was used in three villages under study in Koti-Sephola community council. The forty-five households were utilised from women who were the members of RWA. To obtain the information interviews and focus groups were carried out and the main findings are: overtime, women have dominated crop farming in Thabana- Morena to prevent poverty and therefore their participation improves their food security; Rural Women’s Farming crop production sustains rural women livelihoods at household level. However, these women still face challenges of lack of credit, climate variability, lack of roads and extensive training on crop farming. The study therefore recommends that women should have adequate access to productive resources and government support in order to increase crop farming amongst women in rural areas as livelihood strategy and the extension officers should train these women in marketing skills so that they should know which crops to grow depending on the market.National Manpower Development Secretaria
Greenhouse vegetable cultivation on poverty alleviation among smallholder farmers in the Qiloane community council
No full textIn the light of the changing climate and poverty, the Government of Lesotho with donor support
made investment to promote climate-smart agriculture among smallholder farmers. Despite these
efforts, Lesotho is experiencing high acute food insecurity, and low productivity remains a major
challenge among smallholder farmers. Against this background, this study assesses the impact of
greenhouse vegetable cultivation on poverty alleviation among smallholder farmers in Lesotho.
Specifically, the study assesses the contribution of greenhouse vegetable cultivation on the
livelihood making of smallholder farmers, investigates the contribution of greenhouse cultivation
to living standards and suggests intervention measures in order to assist greenhouse vegetable
cultivation smallholder farmers. The study used mixed method methodology for data collection
using case study of Qiloane community council where face-to-face interviews and closed ended
questionnaires were utilized. The results showed that greenhouse cultivation had contributed to
smallholder farmer’s livelihood making by protecting crops from adverse weather conditions,
increasing crop yields, crop variety and efficient use of water resources. Greenhouse vegetable
cultivation had contributed to smallholder farmers’ living standards by increasing income, food
security, employment opportunities and skills development. Training, availability of agricultural
inputs and subsidies, installation of temperature controllers and access to markets were
intervention measures suggested to address the challenges faced by greenhouse vegetable
cultivation smallholder farmers. The study concluded that greenhouse vegetable cultivation is a
cost effective way of cultivation that can contribute to the economic wellbeing of smallholder
farmers and contribute to country’s economy. Therefore, the study recommends implementation
of integrated pest management and strategies, regular inspection, market-oriented approaches
v
and close monitoring of greenhouse tunnels so that they can contribute effectively to livelihoods
of smallholder farmers.National Manpower Development Secretaria
The case of WhatsApp messages of undergraduate students at the National University of Lesotho
Get PDFThis paper examined the orthography of words used by the National
University of Lesotho undergraduate students on WhatsApp. Although language is
regarded as a coherent and homogeneous system, it can also be studied in its
variations across time and space and how it is actually used in social interaction.
Youth immersion in the use of social media has successfully made the presence of
the digital era to be felt not only in social life but also in communicative
competencies. This paper recognised the youth linguistic creativity as a concept
that characterised nomenclature of spelling conventions observed on social media.
Using voluntary participatory approach, data was collected from undergraduate
students majoring in English at the University who volunteered to share their
WhatsApp posts for the purpose of this study. Data revealed that youths’ social
media discourse featured different orthographic representations as a result of
accent stylisation, substitution, acronym, hybrid, clipping, coalescence,
onomatopoeic spellings and deletions. The paper concluded that youth social media
discourse deviates from conventional spellings, and thus serves as a linguistic
innovation from the part of the youths. It further concluded that social media
discourse is a true reflection of language diversity in this digital era especially with
regards to the language of the youth globally.Sel
The efficacy of commercial arbitration, law and practice Lesotho
Get PDFThe success of commercial arbitration law and practice is achieved as a result of
several factors. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether efficacy of
commercial arbitration, law and practice in Lesotho is hindered by the legal
framework which does not conform to the United Nations Commission Trade Law
on International Commercial Arbitration, UNCITRAL Model Law. Examining
such other factors as support of the courts and government, the study specifically
investigated the impact of lack of education about commercial arbitration for the
business community and unregulated arbitrators on the efficacy of the commercial
arbitration, law and practice in Lesotho.
With the use of the desk reviews and interviews as data collection methods for this
study, the evidence obtained has revealed that efficacy of the commercial
arbitration, law and practice in Lesotho is hampered by the law which is outdated
and inconsistent with the UNCITRAL Model law. As such, support for the
mechanism by the courts has been found to be at stake or adversely affected. Lack
of support from the government and that of awareness campaigns about the
mechanism for the business community have also been noted for constraining the
efficacy of the commercial arbitration, law and practice in the country. Further
noticeable from the findings include limited commitment from the legal profession
and unregulated arbitrators, both of which could have significantly obstructed the
mechanism. The study thus concludes that there is an urgent need for law reforms
and concerted commitment from the relevant stakeholders to help towards
achieving efficacy of the commercial arbitration, law and practice in LesothoNational Manpower Development Secretaria