THE MISSING LINK IN LESOTHO’S NON- FORMAL EDUCATION

The purpose of NFE therefore is to ensure that no one is left behind. Lesotho established the Long Distance and Training Centre (LDTC) in 1976. Couched within the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), this department is mandated with the provision of Conformal Education in the country. Policy development for NFE was only completed in 2018, however. Historically, the majority of NFE clientele in Lesotho have been male due to their higher dropout rates and lower participation in the formal education system. An analysis of the county’s employment data disaggregated by sex reveals, however reveals that despite completing secondary school and university at much higher rates women remain less likely to get hired. This is therefore strong impetus for a course correction. NFE service providers ought to aim for gender parity and consciously scale up female enrolment in NFE, as it imparts much needed vocational skills that can help women secure their livelihoods.