Today marks exactly 120 years since the official opening of National Industrial School "Fokothi". The vision for the school was conceptualized by Paramount Chief Lerotholi as early as 1894, it took several years of nationwide fundraising, known as the Sethabathaba campaign (1898 to 1902) before the first building was constructed and trade courses began, total money raised was £4,000.00. Reverend Nelson Fogarty, whom Basotho called Fokothi was appointed by Morena Lerotholi to translate this vision into a reality.
The construction of the school was started in May 1905 and Morena Lerotholi died on 19th August the same year before completion of the project. The official opening of the school happened on 25th January 1906: This is when the vision became a reality for the students. The first Director, Reverend Nelson Fogarty, welcomed the first group of Basotho young men to begin training in trades like masonry, carpentry, and blacksmithing. The name given then was National Industrial School. This name was changed to Lerotholi Technical Institute in 1961 as a posthumous tribute to Chief Lerotholi to honour his efforts in it's inception.
In 1991, the three schools under this institute were mergered into what became Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP). The merger brought artisan, commercial, and technical education under one unified administration. Following this merger, the institution was eventually granted autonomy from the government through the Lerotholi Polytechnic Act of 1997, allowing it to be governed by its own Council rather than directly by a government ministry. Today, the legacy of these three original schools is reflected in the Polytechnic’s current academic divisions, such as the School of Engineering and Technology (SET), the School of the Built Environment (SOBE), and the School of Enterprise and Management (SEM).
At the 120th aniversary celebration of the school, held on 12th December 2025. Prince Lerotholi Mohato Bereng Seeiso (18), the direct descendent of Morena Lerotholi, was inaugurated as the first Chancellor of Lerotholi Polytechnic, colloquially known as "Fokothi". The appointment was made in accordance with the Higher Education Act of 2004.
WHAT INSPIRED MORENA E MOHOLO?
It is said that Morena Lerotholi heard some British Commissioner giving a sentiment that Basotho are only good as unskilled labourers, they cannot be instructed on technical skills, and this intigued him. Although he had not received formal school education himself, he set to secure the future of Basotho as the competent people among other blacks and whites. He had also visited Quthing district in 1891 and became fascinated by Leloaleng Technical Institute, when he arrived at Matsieng, he gave a long thought on starting the same school in Maseru.
The other reason is that Basotho were leaving the country in large numbers to work as migrant labour in the mines of South-Africa, being beaten by the discriminatory laws that allow Europeans to flourish in business while Basotho and the Indians (Kulis as colonizers prefered to call them) are not afforded an opportunity to compete. These laws had successfully shifted the economy. Basotho went from being wealthy agricultural exporters to being dependent on European-owned stores for basic goods. This economic pressure is part of why Paramount Chief Lerotholi pushed for the creation of an Industrial School—he realized that if Basotho could not compete in trade, they needed technical skills to survive in the new colonial economy.
U re roballe Raletšabisa oa Kholu le Moshoeshoe!
Comments
Post a Comment