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Article Title: Revitalising Self-Reliance in Lesotho Schools through the Integrated Curriculum (2009) and Community Participation
by Mzamane Nhlapo

Abstract:
The introduction of the integrated curriculum (2009) in Lesotho was aimed at inculcating creativity, practicality, productivity and entrepreneurship among learners, and preparing them to be self-reliant while at school and beyond. This newly introduced curriculum replaced the old examination-oriented curriculum, which was perceived as being too academic, and which prepared learners for scarce white-collar jobs. Thus, the traditional examination-oriented curriculum had become irrelevant for solving today�s practical challenges of hunger, poverty and unemployment, particularly in developing countries such as Lesotho. The new integrated curriculum (2009) generated hope that the culture of self-reliance, which had become dormant at Lesotho schools, could be revitalised and strengthened. The significance of the study to policy makers and policy implementers is two-pronged: it is to improve the understanding of self-reliance, and how best self-reliance could be implemented to be successful and sustainable. Thus, the study will have a positive impact in the operationalisation and implementation of the integrated curriculum (2009). The study was carried out through a review of literature on self-reliance, integrated curriculum and community participation. Literature reveals that self-reliance has always been present in Lesotho communities, and this should have informed the content of the integrated curriculum (2009), in order to revitalise and strengthen self-reliance in Lesotho schools. There is clearly a need to redefine the concept of self-reliance, given today�s contexts. It appears that past definitions of self-reliance recognise community participation, while recent definitions do not. The study emphasizes the centrality of community participation in self-reliance projects in Lesotho schools, because Yosso�s (2005) community cultural wealth theory affirms that every community has an abundance of wealth, assets, skills, resources, and indigenous knowledge needed for survival and self-reliance, which can benefit schools and learners immensely.

Keywords: Lesotho schools, learners, integrated curriculum, self-reliance, revitalisation, community cultural wealth theory, community participation

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