Education

Before becoming a high school, Lesotho’s first Normal School was located on this site with a mission of training teachers. It must be remembered that when the SNJM arrived in Lesotho, there were no schools. To promote the education of the young people of Basotho, it was absolutely necessary to ensure the teachers themselves were trained. SNJMs ran this Normal School until the government assumed the responsibility of public education towards the end of 20th century.

With the closing of the Normal School, however, came the birth of the Mazenod High School. Founded to support youth and young adults, this girls’ boarding school offers an education that open doors to the acquisition of important knowledge and a diversity of skills.

In keeping with the philosophy of the full development of the person as established by our foundress, Mother Marie-Rose, the faculty for this school is particularly concerned with meeting the needs of students in the areas of moral, spiritual and emotional education.

Teachers also need to be able to respond to a number of other contemporary challenges, such as preparing young people to know how to act in the presence of AIDS victims, while raising awareness of the causes of its spread in Lesotho.

Mazenod, Maseru, Lesotho

The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) of Lesotho created this high school with the deep conviction that every human being should have access to knowledge.

Our faculty team puts a particular emphasis on coaching students in self-discipline and meeting deadlines, while promoting a varied and rich curriculum to help them become autonomous, responsible and active adults in society.

Since its foundation in the Bela Bela district in King Makhetha’s city of Berea, the Holy Names High School has been a popular educational venue, attracting many students, many of whom have come from afar because of its residence and the equal opportunities if offers to young girls.

Bela Bela, Leribe, Lesotho

This school was created in 1987 to meet an urgent need to ensure a place in high school to hundreds of young students who had completed their primary education. At the time it was considered a top priority to prevent these young people from ending up on the streets without being able to develop their talents.

To respond to this urgency, the Bishop in charge of the diocese of the Roman Catholic Church took the lead in creating this high school. The management of the project, however, was entrusted with full authority to the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) who were already recognized for their quality teaching.

This mission was enthusiastically accepted by the SNJM as it clearly resonated with the spirit of our religious congregation to enable the full development of human beings wherever there was a need.

Twenty teachers and eight support staff currently see to the education of approximately 300 students annually. The school offers a diverse curriculum that includes the learning of English, Sesotho, math, religion, science, home economics, woodworking, commercial subjects and more, agriculture, geography, and more.

Maryland, Leribe, Lesotho

Created by SNJM sisters in 1965, at the request of the Archbishop of Maseru, Emmanuel ‘Mabathoana, this Catholic high school met the needs of the population of Maseru, then in full expansion.

The school offers an academic framework to train young people in all dimensions of their development, whether they be social, physical, emotional, spiritual or intellectual.

The school is concerned with developing each student’s gifts and talents and encouraging their curiosity and thirst for learning.

The goal is to build a strong, creative, innovative community with a focus on fostering entrepreneurship in the hope of reducing poverty in the country.

Maseru, Maseru, Lesotho

Servicing both boarders and day students, St. Rose Primary School provides a quality education inspired by SNJM foundress Mother Marie-Rose Durocher’s concern for the integral development of each individual, while complying Ministry of Education regulations.

This school welcomes approximately 360 students from levels 1 to 7 and counts on a team of ten qualified teachers.

St. Rose Primary School offers free primary education to mostly vulnerable children or orphans.

Peka, Leribe, Lesotho

Located in the capital of Maseru, south of the cathedral, St. Bernadette Primary School is the only school that integrates young people with disabilities with children without disabilities. It is also the only school that cares for visually impaired students. It currently has more than 70 young people with visual impairments.

Created by the SNJM on January 29, 1957 as an English-language primary school, it now operates in full compliance with the country’s free and compulsory primary education policy, adopted in 2000.

Today St. Bernadette welcomes more than 2025 students and counts on its 40 qualified teachers to respect a teaching program that aims to promote quality learning for all students, whether or not they have a disability.

All lay and religious staff work in the spirit of the foundress of the SNJM, Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher.

Maseru, Maseru, Lesotho

The creation of this Catholic school in Little Flower Parish results in great measure from the tenacity of Oblate missionaries and parents. Built in 1960 under the direction of Father Odilon, OMI, the school had four classrooms and a community hall that served as a place of worship on Sundays.

Nowadays, the school offers kindergarten and primary school services and hosts some 300 young people in seven classrooms, a hall, a kitchen and a reception room.

The regular school curriculum is taught while ensuring attention is paid to psychological, spiritual and social development. Since many of the students are AIDS orphans, there is special emphasis on building awareness allowing them to reduce their vulnerability to the disease and to the dangers of child trafficking.

Though the school belongs to the Diocese, it is entirely managed by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM).

Kolonyama, Leribe, Lesotho

The St. Ambrose Pre-School kindergarten program began in 2001, under the direction of Sister Francisca Kuleile, in a room at the St. Ambrose Convent. In 2004, a separate building was built to house this new institution, which has now been joined by a day care center.

In the face of success and at the request of the parents, it was decided to create a primary school. It was created in 2012 with 12 students (Grade 1). The SNJM-funded school in Lesotho was headed by Sr Angelina Tlali and Sr Carmelita. The number of students has increased rapidly. To meet the demand, the school began providing accommodation to students from poor families, still sponsored by SNJM Lesotho Province.

Nowadays, parents pay school fees for their children, which allows the school to maintain its quality education. Recognized by the government, the school has increased its public outreach. Its offer of computer lessons also encourages parents to enroll their children in this school.

There are currently some 213 primary and 97 preschool students. There is a team of seven qualified primary teachers and four preschool teachers. As in most of our establishments, food is offered during breaks and dinner. Three women are also responsible for the supervision of the residents.

Mazenod, Maseru, Lesotho

The Marie Rose Pre-School nursery currently cares for approximately 100 children between 9 months to 6 years of age. The program is designed to meet the spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical needs of these young people while them for elementary school.

Reading activities to develop language, stimulate children and open them to the world are organized. Others focus on ways of communicating that go far beyond words and sentences. It integrates dance, music and arts always with the aim of getting them to explore their environment, reflect and develop their ideas.

The program also includes mathematical concepts to make people aware of the reality of numbers, of space, of measurements while developing their memory.

The approach of this school helps children to establish their values, develop their self-esteem and involve them in decision-making.

The school is located in South Africa, more specifically in Qwa-Qwa, in the Diocese of Bethlehem. It comprises four classes, a hall, food storage areas, a room with kitchenette and sanitary facilities.

Qwa-Qwa, South Africa

The first school of its kind in Lesotho, the Computer College of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) was founded in 1999. It has grown since then by establishing itself as a training and educational center. recognized training with the Government of Lesotho and the Ministry of Commerce. It holds the ICDL / ECDL (International European Computer Driving License).

The College’s mandate is to train a skilled workforce that can meet the challenges of computer technology. It is also committed to providing a promising future for all young people, including orphans and children from impoverished families.

The curriculum includes an information technology certificate covering all aspects of computer use, including word processing, database, spreadsheets and more. The second certificate awarded complies with the European Computer License.

Peka, Leribe, Lesotho