The American International School of Lesotho was founded in 1991. It is a private, co-educational, non-profit school that provides educational services for students from Preschool through Grade 9.
AISL has approximately 165 students that represent over 35 nationalities including 22 U.S. citizens. The school has a low student/teacher ratio with a maximum class size of 16 and an average class size of 13. There are 15 full-time teachers in the school including 6 U.S. citizens.
Facilities
AISL is located in a residential area of Maseru. The school complex has a total of 13 classrooms including a library, a computer lab, a playground, volleyball and basketball courts, a soccer pitch, a covered play building and a badminton court. The school uses the pool and tennis courts of the Maseru Club which is close to the school.
Curriculum
AISL follows an American-style curriculum. Textbooks and materials from the U.S. are used for instruction. Students study core academic courses such as language arts, math, science, health, social studies and French in addition to art, music, physical education and computers.
Technology
The school has a computer lab which internet capabilities and each classroom has a least one computer equipped with internet access. Students are taught computer literacy in the computer lab.
Professional Development
AISL has an active professional development program. In addition to onsite mentoring and collaboration, AISL teachers can work on higher degrees at local and American universities. These schools include the University of the Free State in South Africa, George Mason University and SUNY-Buffalo.
Employment
AISL seeks experienced teachers with high qualifications who are committed to their students, want to contribute to the development of the school and value professional development. Candidates for teaching positions should have the following minimal qualifications: BA, certification, excellent computer skills and the ability to integrate them into the curriculum, excellent oral and written communication skills, a collaborative nature, and a commitment to professional development. Ideally candidates should have a Master’s degree, three years experience, international school experience, experience with an American curriculum, a desire to sponsor after school activities, and expertise working with a broad range of students.
The school notes that its salary is regionally competitive and that Maseru is one of the least expensive cities on earth to live for expats. Benefits include medical insurance allowance, educational expense allowance, financial assistance for home leave after the first two year contract, professional development activities, tuition waiver for dependents, use of a school vehicle for minimal cost, settling-in allowance, housing, and a shipping allowance coming and going to Maseru.
The teaching staff at AISL comes from 7 countries and many have international teaching experience. The school lists openings on the website. AISL attends the Search Cambridge recruiting fair. Interested teachers can send an email with a resume, a statement of educational beliefs, and a cover letter that explains why they want to work at AISL. Candidates that have the proper qualifications may be contacted by email, phone or skype. Send all documents to employment@aisl.co.ls.
About Lesotho
Lesotho is officially a constitutional monarchy. It is a landlocked country surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. The population of Lesotho is about 1.8 million. The capital, Maseru, has a population of around 300,000. This is a poor country with about 40% of the population living below the international poverty line. Lesotho is known as the “Roof of Africa.”
The climate varies according to the altitude. Average temperatures in the lowlands are around 86 degrees F, and around 64 degrees F in the mountains. Lesotho’s rainy season runs from October to April. The mountains get snow and the temperatures can drop to 0 degrees F in the winter.
Expats can shop at local markets in Maseru or at the South African grocery store chains of Pick ‘n Pay and Shoprite. Anew shopping mall is close to the school. The city has restaurants that offer local and international cuisine and for those expats who need something from home – KFC.
A popular activity is pony trekking through the incredible countryside. Lesotho has one of the highest literacy rates in Africa, and female literacy is higher than male literacy, which is quite unusual. Unfortunately Lesotho also has one of the highest HIV/AIDs rates in the world.
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