§ Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what matriculation work is being done by the Basutoland High School and Lerotholi Technical School, respectively; and to what extent he has considered the desirability of amalgamating these two institutions in the interests of efficiency and the future needs of the territory.
§ Mr. AlportThe Basutoland High School provides matriculation courses. Lerotholi Technical School conducts four-year trade courses beyond standard VI for training artisans, and one-year post-secondary courses for training clerks. It does no matriculation work. The work of these two institutions is so different that amalgamation would be educationally undesirable.
§ Mr. J. Johnsonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what is his policy with regard to the development of junior secondary schools in Basutoland Protectorate; and how many new schools are to be built.
§ Mr. AlportSince 1953 thirteen new junior secondary schools have been completed with assistance from colonial development and welfare funds. A fourteenth is now being built and four private junior secondary schools for girls have been started by the Roman Catholic Mission. For the immediate future the policy is to consolidate the substantial progress made since 1953 in increasing the number of schools and to improve their quality, in particular, to provide all junior secondary schools with adequate boarding facilities and staff housing.