This article is an attempt to theoretically present Ubuntu/Botho philosophy as a complementary approach to guide efforts intended to restore and maintain positive emotional well-being among African Basotho school going children and youth during COVID-19 and beyond. Research shows that COVID-19 pandemic has impacted badly on school systems, particularly teaching and learning process and school life in general. The central assumption driving this paper is that factors emanating from Covid-19 pandemic do not only contribute to the damage of learning process for many learners, but they also contribute to a mental and emotional health crisis, as a result of lost access to services that are naturally offered by schools. Informed by Ubuntu/Botho philosophy, the paper argues that schools have moral obligation to protect learners’ emotional health as a crucial variable for both their complete psychosocial well-being and academic achievement. It looks at maintenance of emotional well-being from the lens of Ubuntu/Botho world view. Ubuntu/Botho adoption as a theoretical framework is an effort to contribute knowledge and suggest practice that have their foundation on the experiences of people, informed by their own sociological and cultural constructs. Ubuntu/Botho as a guiding principle places values such as compassion, empathy, sharing, respect, solidarity at the centre of human co-existence, thus, has the potential to create school relationships and support systems that can restore and maintain positive emotions.

The necessity for school-based psychosocial support (SBPSS) provision has become a fundamental issue in global education systems. However, for many schools in Lesotho, and in other Sub-Saharan countries, there seem to be no clarity on the position of guidance and counselling (GC) in school psychosocial support (PSS) undertakings. This paper considers G/C as an essential component of psychosocial support provision in schools, and argues that G/C should be well positioned so that it becomes the core component of PSS activities. The paper intents to address issues raised by international research that against the backdrop of ever increasing complex societal challenges that impact negatively on school going population and school life in general, there is need strengthen G/C as part of PSS activities. The interplay of the various challenges often makes the adverse experiences more complex, subsequently causing adjustment disorders among students. Underpinned by asset-based approach and relational leadership theory, this study employed qualitative semi-structured questionnaires, online free attitude interviews and focus group discussions to explore teachers’ perspectives on possibilities for positioning GC as the core component of SBPSS. This study uncovered various factors contributing to undecided position of GC. The study concluded that schools need to tap into asset-based approach to strategically position GC in SBPSS undertakings.