My School

Since arriving in Lesotho I have only been to four high schools, and I have to say mine is definitely the nicest one. The school sits on a mountain plateau with the most breathtaking views of a million mountains surrounding a river valley. The school was built in 2006 and started with eight-grade only. With each year the school has added 100 plus students, the next grade level, and a classroom. This is the first year with all five grades (eight through twelfth), approximately 550 students in all. We have three eight and ninth grade classes and two tenth, eleventh, and twelfth grade classes. Unfortunately, we only have eleven classrooms so the third ninth grade class is occupying the AMAZING science lab. No lie, the science lab is nicer than the ones at either of the high schools I attended. I am trying to encourage my teachers that we can still utilize the lab (it can’t sit there all year untouched) by some sort of sign up system. They are not taking to that too well. I teach my science class in the lab, so if nothing else my students will partake in lots of experiments.

Primary school (first through seventh grade) is free in Lesotho. High school is up to the parents. Tuition is 430 Maulti for the year (about 57 dollars), and 220 Maluti (30 dollars) for books. We are a government school, meaning the government is supposed to give us funding. There is a lot of corruption in the government so that funding rarely shows up. We are lucky enough to have electricity, RUNNING water, the science lab (I mentioned), and a fair amount of equipment in the science lab! This is all great, but we are extremely short on teachers so there is lots of time in the day when the students just sit in class with no teacher and nothing to do. Sigh. Only one of my teachers has been there more than one year, four are student teachers (no pay, young, little work ethic), and one is a PCV (me). Working in the highlands is a starting position; people ideally want to work in the lowlands where life is more developed. There are no computers at my school (I am attacking this one pronto). Do you know how much time it takes to write a test on a chalkboard? Let me not fail to mention, while you write your back is to your students meaning cheating is at an all time high. The school lacks a library (my first true project), a kitchen (another thing I am going to be pushing), and an assembly hall (very important here, good for fundraising).

School runs from 7:00AM to 4:00PM. From 7:00-7:45AM the students have a mandatory study period. At 7:45AM we have assembly, the highlight of the day. The students sign the national anthem, sometimes a cultural song, then they recite the Lord’s Prayer, and listen to announcements. Classes start at 8:00AM and run in 40 minute increments, with a 20 minute break at 10:40AM, and a one hour lunch break at 1:00PM. The schedule is different everyday. Math and science have seven periods a week each so twice a week (in each class) I teach doubles (80 minute blocks). The students sit in the same classroom all day, and the teachers pass. Friday classes end at 1:00PM, but students have to stay on campus and study, play sports, or participate in a club. We have a volleyball and a net as far a sports go. Clubs consist of science/math club, debate, drama, and choir.

Uniforms at my school (and most others I assume) are taken very seriously. The girls where button up shirts under their turquoise jumpers. Then there is a turquoise sweater that goes over the jumper. The button up shirt collar comes over the sweater. The boys were gray dress slacks, with the same button up shirt, turquoise sweater, collar must be over sweater neck. Black dress shoes for boys and girls. Monday and Wednesday it is white button up shirts and white socks while Tuesday and Thursday it is khaki button ups with black socks. Do you remember when tracksuits were in? Okay, maybe they were never in… but here they are in, so in. Friday, it is turquoise track suite day. Best part, I am getting hooked up with one soon (in Lesotho, that means by then end of the year). I can’t wait to rock my turquoise tracksuit (a day off from a skirt)! Hair must be shaved, both girls and boys. If you wear the wrong uniform or forget the uniform you are sent home.