Making a difference to educational disadvantage

Since 2014, the ACER Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Australian Council for Educational Research, has helped support schooling in the Kingdom of Lesotho.

Through its Making a Difference program, the ACER Foundation funded the construction and furnishing of five classrooms for Mollele Primary School in Makhalong Village, as well as the installation of water tanks and the planting of sustainable vegetable gardens. The new facilities were officially opened in late 2018.

ACER Research Fellow Pam Munro-Smith, who manages the Lesotho project on behalf of the ACER Foundation, attended the opening. While there, Ms Munro-Smith supervised the installation of a series of mosaic tiles created for the school by students from Kunyung Primary School in Mount Eliza, Victoria, under the guidance of teacher Helena Rodger. The tiles picture a range of Australian animals and each decorates the door of a classroom at Molelle. ACER is now assisting Makhalong Village to petition the government to supply electricity to the area so that the classrooms can be safely heated.

The ACER Foundation has donated more than four tonnes of literacy and numeracy resources to schools in Makhalong Village, and has facilitated the donation of more than 100 knitted beanies, scarves and blankets from the Mount Eliza Anglican Church Caritas group. ACER’s support has also included the sponsorship by ACER employees of 33 vulnerable students requiring support to complete secondary school.

The ACER Foundation was established to initiate, develop and manage projects that aim to address the needs of educationally disadvantaged groups. Suggestions for future projects and initiatives can be emailed to the Director of the ACER Foundation, Lisa Norris, via lisa.norris@acer.org.