First BYU-Pathway Worldwide Graduation in Lesotho

With the scriptural direction in mind of “whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:18), 27 students in Lesotho recently gathered to celebrate their graduation from BYU-Pathway Worldwide.

This was a historic event for Lesotho. Twenty-three students earned Pathway Connect certificates and three others earned university degrees. It was the first BYU-Pathway Worldwide graduation event to be held in the country and it was celebrated with family, friends, and leaders to be honored for their dedicated work over the past four years. There were cheers of happiness from family and class members as each graduate stood and received their diplomas.

The students call themselves the Class of 2018–2022 because in those four years they bonded and worked together to complete the requirements to receive certificates or degrees. These students genuinely felt the fellowship and friendship that comes with working towards a common goal. Sixteen graduates were friends of other faiths and were introduced to the programme through friends or family members who are members of the Church.

Moshoeshoe Nchapi, president of the Maseru District, who provided the opening remarks at the graduation, quoted President Russell M. Nelson who said, “Education is the difference between wishing you could help other people and being able to help them.”¹ He also shared personal blessings he and his wife have received from being BYU-Pathway students themselves, “My wife’s confidence and mine have significantly improved in expressing ourselves in the English language. Several mathematical concepts that were Greek in high school are no longer a challenge.”

BYU-Pathway Worldwide has its roots in BYU-Idaho’s Pathway programme, which started in 2009 with just 50 students. Today, Pathway is serving over 61,000 students in 180 countries.

These graduates come from all walks of life, young single adults, parents, grandparents, members of the Church and friends of the Church. Since the beginning of BYU-Pathway in Lesotho, over 300 students in the country have benefited from the programme. There are about 1,500 members of the Church in Lesotho.

Elder Harold Smith and Sister Dianne Smith who served as BYU-Pathway senior missionaries in the Africa South Area participated in the graduation ceremony. Elder and Sister Smith said that they “love viewing the students growing confidence in their abilities, and their awareness that our Heavenly Father will always help them in their studies. To see them at this point, makes us so happy and proud of what the students have accomplished”.

Khopolo Tsiu, who is a Pathway student and is also serving as a BYU-Pathway missionary in Lesotho is encouraged by the recent success and said, “BYU-Pathway is bright in Lesotho because education is so expensive. This is a blessing to the people of our country”.