…as Riverside International School officially launches
Rethabile Pitso
A new era in education is on the horizon in Lesotho as Riverside International School, a cutting-edge educational facility, was officially launched on Wednesday. The school is projected to welcome its first cohort of students in January 2027.
The launch attracted a host of dignitaries, including Education and Training Minister Professor Ntoi Rapapa, First National Bank CEO Delekazi Mokebe, and Andre and Danny Bothma of LSP Construction and Moruo Developments, who co-founded the school alongside Thana Pienaar – the school’s Executive Head.
Visitors at the launch were treated to a tour of the school’s technology-driven classrooms. Traditional blackboards have been replaced with QLED screens that enable interactive learning far beyond conventional methods. Riverside is taking cues from some of South Africa’s most prestigious international schools, offering a global curriculum designed to groom Lesotho’s future leaders.
The school also emphasizes extracurricular and sports activities, including swimming, hockey, basketball, cricket, and padel, giving learners the opportunity to excel on a global stage. Physical construction includes well-designed primary and secondary school classrooms, with a pre-school section located nearby on the same premises.
According to Ms Pienaar, the school aims to offer a tailor-made curriculum designed to address the diverse needs of pupils—a vision she says inspired the very idea of building Riverside International School.
“The brain is both complex and beautifully simple in one truth: no two brains—or children—are exactly alike, not even identical twins. So why do schools or parents continue to educate them as if they are all the same? Consistently comparing children to one another can be detrimental to their unique identities,” Ms Pienaar said.
Reflecting on her personal journey, Ms Pienaar recounted a formative experience that shaped her philosophy.
“With more than forty years in the education system, my journey began in a very personal way when a doctor once told me that my child would always lag behind in development. Yet I vowed to understand fully how learning works and how to unlock potential, even after my child suffered oxygen deprivation at birth. Today, that same child is a successful professional. The brain is wonderfully resilient and constantly reinvents itself over time. That is why I stand before you tonight with every conviction that the brain is powerful, and every child is intelligent—just not in the same way.”
Ms Pienaar emphasized that Riverside would provide learning options that allow each child to progress in their own lane, without undue pressure from parents.
“Our curriculum will go far beyond traditional teaching methods. Primary school learners will study a broad range of subjects before eventually choosing the ones they feel most comfortable with, allowing them to focus on their strengths,” she said.
For his part, Prof Rapapa applauded the initiative, calling it a landmark investment for Basotho children.
“When I first learned about this project from Mr (Andre) Bothma, I was skeptical—until he took me to the construction site. I was blown away. This is not only an impressive initiative, but it is also spearheaded by a Mosotho and represents a significant act of corporate social responsibility.
“Education is the greatest investment a parent can make—it cannot be taken away, unlike a house or a car. We are committed to supporting Riverside every step of the way,” he said.
