By Kefiloe Kajane
Mosebetsi Khobotlo Lestṧoara is a young woman who founded Lebone Education Network in 2018, driven by her passion for education.
Lebone Education Network offers premium online learning services that are relevant amidst the rapidly emerging technologies.
Letṧoara says Lebone Education Network has a mobile application called LEduNet which is available on Google Play Store. She says they focus more on Junior Certificate (JC) and Lesotho General Certificates for Secondary Education (LGCSE) turoring.
She says LEduNet was custom-built with students in mind as it enables them to download learning content and quizzes to study offline but within the application. She explained that students can only turn on their mobile data to submit the quizzes or to engage with other learners.
“Not only is it highly interactive, but it also fosters peer to peer tutoring through its highly organised discussion forums, wikis, and workshops,” she says.
As a bachelor of political science graduate from the University of Pretoria, Letṧoara says she might not be a teacher by profession but teaching has a way of following her and she seems to enjoy every opportunity she gets to do it.
“After making it to rank four of the national top 10 in 2009 when I was doing LGCSE, I got the opportunity to teach grade 8 and 9, mathematics and science at Maputsoe English Medium High School while I awaited to start college in September. For a few months in 2014 and 2015, I taught Information and Communication Technology to grade 8, 9, 10 and 11 learners at my former high school; that is where my passion for teaching came from.
“Online learning is only beginning to make sense to most Basotho now during the Covid-19 pandemic. Initially, people were skeptical and thought we were just a scam to get their money, and we had to offer our learning platform to JC and LGCSEs for free last year.
“We have only started charging fees this year because it turns out parents are beginning to open up to the whole idea of e-learning. I was first introduced to e-learning in first year when I did a module called Evidence Based Management, which for the whole year was offered completely online,” she said.
She said as a new entrant in the industry, she is positive e-learning will eventually make it through and begin to be the big thing happening. She also explained that for high school students, it offers them diversity as they get the opportunity to learn with students from different schools and districts.
She said the support of her husband, who is a silent partner in the company, has helped Lebone Education Network to be where it is today as he is the brains behind all Information Technology and technicalities.
“We grew up being told that education is the key to the future but in this digital age that is constantly changing and demanding new skills sets; quality and relevant education is the key to the future. As educational consultants, we strive to be an educational anchor which parents and professionals can confidently rely on for premium online learning,” she concluded.
