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for assistance to southern African refugees. The programme of assistance for

uth African student refugees in Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland formed the basis of the appeal which was also designed to meet the over-all needs of South African, Zimbabwean and Namibian refugees in various African countries. The High Commissioner also appealed to African countries to make places available in schools and universities for student refugees from southern Africa.

130. Botswana registered some 22,300 new arrivals in 1977, of whom 21,800 were Zimbabweans and 277 South Africans. These influxes were, however, partly offset by the movement to other African countries of some 18,000 Zimbabwean and 550 South African refugees, most of whom were transferred under the auspices of their respective national liberation movements, while some 250 left to continue their studies in other countries. The total refugee population in Botswana at 31 December 1977 was thus estimated at some 4,800, of whom 4,000 were Zimbabweans, 500 South Africans and the remainder of various nationalities.

131. The number of registered refugees in Lesotho, mainly South Africans, totalled 135 at the end of 1977. There are, however, a large number of unregistered South African student refugees, estimated by the Government at up to 6,000, who are continuing their education at primary and secondary schools there.

132. The total of registered refugees in Swaziland, mainly South Africans, numbered 130 at the end of 1977, some 150 having departed during the year for other African countries. However, as in Lesotho, considerable numbers of unregistered South African refugee students, estimated by the Government to number several thousand, have been admitted to Swazi schools.

The

133. UNHCR action to assist refugee students under the Special Programmes for southern Africa included the projects recommended in the Secretary-General's reports on assistance to South African student refugees, A/32/65 and Add.l. construction of a student hostel at the Botswana University College and the creation of additional capacity in secondary schools in Lesotho as well as assistance to the National University of Lesotho had been initiated by early 1978; the transit and educational facilities to be constructed in Botswana and Swaziland were still at the planning phase at that time and were due to be implemented later in 1978. UNHCR also provided funds for the construction in Botswana in 1977 of a transit centre for 1,000 Zimbabwean refugees at Selebi-Pikwe and for the improvement of the existing Francistown Centre, as recommended in the Secretary-General's reports to the Security Council on Assistance to Botswana, documents S/12307 and S/12421.

134. Other assistance measures in Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland included care and maintenance costs, counselling, travel costs to enable refugees to benefit from educational opportunities in other countries, education assistance, including scholarship costs where required, and expansion of classrooms and facilities in schools and universities.

135. In Botswana, pending completion of the school construction projects referred to above, an educational research centre was established providing classroom and library facilities and offering correspondence courses under professional guidance.

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