UP alumnus makes it onto Forbes Africa list

Posted on May 12, 2020

UP alumnus Thobo Khathola from Botswana is the founder, managing director and CEO of Lion Tutoring, a private tutoring organisation that tutors students in public and private schools, from Grade 1 to tertiary level.  

The 28-year-old BCom Economics and Management graduate, 2015, made it on to the Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 list, as well as the cover of the April issue of Forbes Africa magazine.

“I got the news that I was going to be on the Forbes [30] Under 30 list and on the Forbes Africa magazine cover while I was in South Africa doing business. I was very excited as I am the first person in my country, [of] my age, to make it on a Forbes Africa cover. This opportunity has already opened doors for my company locally, and on the African continent. I am glad to have made Botswana, my family, and Tuks proud,” said Khathola.

Lion Tutoring’s headquarters are based in Botswana and they also have a branch in South Africa. They plan to enter other markets as well. The organisation employs tutors with teaching qualifications and experience. They visit students at their homes and also use online tutoring because of the current Covid-19 lockdown.

They also have an app on the Google Play store, which works like Uber, but for tutors. One is able to input their subjects and location, then the app will show you the top-10-rated tutors in your particular area, their qualifications, experience and rating. The app allows you to book a tutor and make a payment. A tutor will then be sent to your home or institution, or conduct the lesson through Skype. Their mandate and mission is “to match the right tutor – to every student, everywhere,” and their vision is “to assist students improve their academics, through engaging, relevant and fun tutorials.” 

“Lion Tutoring was created on 5 February 2015. I had been troubled by the declining pass rate in my country and in Africa. I discovered that students needed an extra hand, over and above what they get from school. [Even] I needed a tutor to cope at senior high school back in the day as I was academically accelerated and skipped a grade. I needed to cover a year’s [amount of] work in three months before the examination.”

Lion Tutoring took home the Best Youth Owned Business award at the Botswana Youth Awards in 2017. They won the award again in 2018, and also won the Best Youth Business award at the Palapye Business Expo in 2019.

Khathola says he learned that business systems are instrumental in the expansion and scaling of any business. “I am able to run Botswana operations in South Africa and vice versa due to our systems [that are] in place. We have strong customer relationship management tools and strong human resources management tools which allow us to be operational, even during the current Covid-19 crisis.”

He hopes to recruit tutors to the platform in major markets such as Gauteng, Nigeria and Kenya, and to get it used throughout the entire continent. Their ultimate aim is for the app to be used globally, as an Uber for tutors.

Khathola says his success is as a result of the University of Pretoria preparing him to be an entrepreneur. “We had modules like Business Management – which were mandatory – and Entrepreneurship 101 and 102. I also went the extra mile to register in an organisation called ,Enactus UPwhich gave us the platform to practice our entrepreneurial skills in communities such as Mohlakeng, Mamelodi and Soshanguve to mention a few.”

- Author Xolani Mathibela

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