Remarks at the Bursary Handover Ceremony in Butha-Buthe

(Dr. Sun Xianghua, Ambassador of China, April 25, 2018)

It gives me great pleasure to come once again, together with the representative of the Chinese community, to Butha-Buthe to hand over the bursary aid to 20 students for this year.

I am glad to know that since we were here last year, some students have successfully graduated with our support. So we can move on to assist some other pupils, so that we can continue to support a total of 20 students for this year. I sincerely hope that this assistance will help the 20 families and students over their difficulties. And these students will be able to pursue their schooling.

There’s well-known saying that knowledge changes a person’s fate. Education is the wisest investment for a person, and for a family and a country. The teenage is the golden opportunity for a person to equip himself with basic education to pave a meaningful and successful life ahead. The government of Lesotho has always attaches great importance to the education. In the past years, the literacy rate of Lesotho has been maintained at 85%, being one of the highest in sub-sahara region. However, as in anywhere else, there are still some challenges facing the education cause of Lesotho. One of the challenges is the relatively dropout rate among high school students. And its main reason is because some families can’t afford to pay the bursaries.

Bearing that in mind, the Chinese community and the Government have stepped up their efforts to render whatever support we can to the Basotho and the Lesotho government. On one hand, the Chinese community in Lesotho has been mobilized to provide more financial support to some needy students and families. As we stand, there are 260 students in Lesotho who receive bursary assistance from the Chinese community every year. Apart from that, the Chinese community has also been providing other essentials to needy schools across the country.

The Chinese government also attaches great importance to education cooperation with the government of Lesotho. One of the outstanding example is the China-Lesotho Friendship Middle School in Thuate Berea. The state of art school has become one of the three level A high schools in Lesotho. At the same time, China has become one of the biggest providers of scholarships and training opportunities to Lesotho. Every year, there are more than 300 Basotho who go to China for training in scores of areas. Meanwhile, there are more than 30 Basotho who receive Chinese Governmental Scholarships. By now, there are more than 2600 Basotho who have been trained in China, or have studied for academic degrees in China. I believe with the continuous development of China-Lesotho relations, more Basotho will benefit from our cooperation in education and human resource development cooperation. I am confident they will contribute tremendously to Lesotho’s social and economic development.

At the juncture, I shall sincerely urge my dear students who receive assistance today, to really cherish this assistance and arduously pursue your studies. It’s with great expectation and hope, that the Embassy and the Chinese community to provide the tuitions fees for some of the disadvantaged students. We hope you will never give up your schooling at this crucial stage and overcome whatever obstacles ahead. Your perseverance and stamina will be pay you back with a bright life in future. As we say in China, a sharp sword is made by continuous polishing and sharpening. In English, there’s saying April showers bring May flowers. I believe through you hard efforts, you will not only fulfill your dreams for life, but also become the backbone for Lesotho’s development and prosperity in future.

Last but not least, I shall use this opportunity to thank Hon. Phamotse for taking efforts to sensitize me on the situation faced by the needy students. And my thank goes to you for organizing today’s event.

Thank you all.

Khotso, pula, nala.