Solar Power Lets Students at a Mountain School in Lesotho Study Before Dawn and After Dark
Since St Martins High School in Lesotho’s Mokhotlong district was connected to solar power, its 170 students can study early in the morning and after sunset, and teachers can use laptops and online resources.
Since St Martins High School in Lesotho’s Mokhotlong district was connected to solar power in October 2025, its students can study before sunrise and after sunset, the UN Development Programme reported.
Some students walk an hour in the dark to get there
Grade 11 learner Reekelitsoe Moseli and classmate Tsobotsi Selialia leave their village of Makhiseng, which has no electricity, at 4 a.m. and walk about an hour to school. There, the lights now let them start early and stay late.
“We come very early and leave late, and that has significantly improved my marks because we can now see.” — Reekelitsoe Moseli, Grade 11 learner, St Martins High School
Electricity opened up online learning
The school has 170 students, 124 girls and 46 boys. Principal Manthati Khotlisi said performance has improved and the school can manage its time more flexibly. Teachers can now use laptops, and classes can use the internet, including for online experiments.
Moseli hopes her marks will earn her a place at university and a scholarship next year. Off-grid solar is spreading across southern Africa, from single schools to large installations such as Africa’s first round-the-clock solar and battery plant.
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