School in Lesotho

Formal school education in Lesotho is overseen by the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET). It includes ECCD, primary school, lower secondary school and senior secondary school. Policy documents sometimes describe Grade R to Grade 7 as an eight-year primary continuum, while MoET education statistics separate ECCD from primary school. A reception class is a one-year pre-primary class usually attached to a primary school and intended for children around age five. ECCD remains fragmented. Children may attend a reception class, a community or home-based programme, or a mainly private ECCD centre. Reception classes generally do not charge parent tuition, but places are not guaranteed and depend on local availability. More than 2,300 ECCD centres operate across Lesotho, most with fees. Home-based teachers are often unpaid or lack formal qualifications. In 2023, reception provision served about 4,999 learners in 245 reception schools, while all ECCD models together served about 46,622 learners. Reception classes were available in only part of the primary-school network. Primary school normally covers Grades 1 to 7 and begins at about age six. A child generally enters when turning six, including when the sixth birthday falls by 30 June of that school year. Direct tuition is legally free and attendance is compulsory. Parents are expected to ensure regular attendance; absence is accepted for reasons such as illness or disability. A court may impose community service, a fine of M1,000 or at least one year of imprisonment for statutory non-attendance. In 2023, primary schools had about 311,814 learners, 1,504 schools and 10,021 teachers. Secondary education normally lasts five years. Lower secondary covers Grades 8 to 10, also called Forms A to C, and leads to the Junior Certificate (JC). Senior secondary covers Grades 11 and 12, also called Forms D and E, and leads to the Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education (LGCSE). The Examinations Council of Lesotho (ECoL) administers the Grade 7 End-of-Level Assessment, the JC examination and the senior-secondary examination. Public descriptions do not fully agree on whether LGCSE results are assigned after Grade 11 or Grade 12, so the relevant cohort, official timetable and current ECoL information should be checked. In 2023, secondary schools served about 111,800 learners, with girls representing about 57.4 percent of enrolment. The 2021 Lesotho Basic Education Curriculum Policy describes secondary education as free, but families can still encounter school charges and indirect costs. Uniforms, books, examination fees, transport and sometimes school fees create barriers to attendance or completion. Basic Education Strengthening Project bursaries may cover fees, examination costs, books and other needs for eligible families. Orphan and vulnerable children bursaries are linked to the social-assistance system. Eligibility, amounts and application periods vary, so families should follow instructions from MoET, social-development services or the school. Schools may be government, church or mission, community, nongovernmental, or private. Church and mission proprietors include the Lesotho Evangelical Church, Roman Catholic Mission, African Church of Lesotho and African Methodist Episcopal structures. Public schools receive state funding and operate under government regulation. Independent schools may set their own admission criteria. There is no evidenced nationwide central placement system. Families usually identify a registered local school, then contact the principal, proprietor or school board about admission, documents, uniform and learning materials. The registered-school directory can be filtered by district, level, school type and disability provision. The Minister and MoET determine the curriculum and syllabi, while the National Curriculum Development Centre and subject panels develop learning materials. Sesotho is used as the initial medium of instruction, with English becoming increasingly prominent in upper primary and secondary education. Actual language and syllabus implementation can vary by grade and school. The annual MoET calendar sets school dates, and schools are expected to provide at least 180 teaching days each year. Registration, material distribution and other administrative activities are separate from those counted teaching days. Inclusive education is supported by the Inclusive Education Policy 2018 and the Persons with Disability Equity Act 2021. Learners with special educational needs (LSEN) may attend a mainstream school with adaptations and support, or a special school where local mainstream capacity is insufficient. Public and private learning institutions have duties concerning inclusive education, assistive devices, accessible formats and qualified teachers. The Special Education Needs Unit supports policy and provision. In practice, inaccessible buildings and sanitation, limited trained staff, shortages of assistive materials and weak early identification can restrict access. Families should confirm the school’s actual support, accessibility, transport and boarding arrangements rather than relying only on the policy. School boards, management committees, families and communities contribute to school life. Water and sanitation, school feeding, child protection, social clubs and safe travel affect attendance. Long journeys in mountain and river-valley areas, poverty, herding or other work, pregnancy, early marriage, teacher absence, strikes and examination failure can reduce retention. Girls outnumber boys in secondary enrolment in every district, but gender-specific risks still affect continuation. The school calendar, local distance, available support and the total cost of attendance determine whether a particular school is workable for a child.