Student Voices Are Reshaping Education in Lesotho

For a long time in Lesotho, students had little influence over the systems shaping their education.

Even though policies like the Education Act No. 3 of 2010 and the Child-Friendly School Standards call for learner representation in school governance, the reality in many schools was different. Student leadership structures were either weak or non-existent. Mechanisms for participation were unclear. And without meaningful platforms, training, or adult support, learners remained on the sidelines.

The result? A curriculum and school culture that often failed to reflect students’ lived experiences, interests, and ambitions.

When Learners Are Excluded, Engagement Suffers

In 2024, a study surveying over 150 students and 44 teachers across Maseru, Leribe, and Mafeteng districts revealed a troubling pattern. Students weren’t just concerned about being excluded from decisions — they were also raising serious issues affecting their daily lives:

• Limited disability inclusion

• Menstrual hygiene challenges

• Restricted access to sexual and reproductive health rights

• Continued use of corporal punishment

• Poor infrastructure

• No student input in curriculum design

When students don’t see themselves reflected in what they learn — or feel unheard in how schools are run — motivation drops. For many, this disconnect contributes to early school dropout, especially in rural communities.

Secondary school completion rates remain a concern, partly because the curriculum often fails to align with learners’ realities or the skills employers are seeking.

But in early 2024, something began to change.

A Spark in Mafeteng Ignites a Movement

What started as a pilot at Johnson Baker High School in Mafeteng — a district grappling with youth-on-youth violence — quickly grew into something much bigger.

The initiative was spearheaded by Young Christian Students (YCS), a member organization of the Lesotho Council of NGOs, with support from Education Out Loud. What began as a grassroots effort evolved into a nationwide student-led movement advocating for inclusion, peacebuilding, and education reform.

Mafeteng was deliberately chosen. The district had seen a rise in gang activity affecting young people, with some students pressured into joining violent groups. Organizers recognized that learners needed more than academic content — they needed tools.

Topics like mediation and negotiation became central to the program. Mediation training equipped students with non-violent strategies for resolving conflict, helping them turn frustration into dialogue rather than disruption.

Hundreds of secondary school learners aged 14 to 20 — from both urban and rural areas — joined the movement. Many were orphans, students with disabilities, or young people facing economic hardship. Yet they shared a common vision: transforming their schools into inclusive, peaceful, and learner-driven spaces.

Building Structures That Make Participation Real

This was not symbolic participation. It was structured and intentional.

Across participating schools:

• Student councils and committees were democratically elected

• Youth-led forums created space for open dialogue with school leadership

• Peace clubs and mediation groups addressed conflicts at the school level

• Leadership development workshops built confidence and advocacy skills

Principals and teachers were also trained, ensuring that youth engagement wasn’t seen as disruptive but as constructive. Adult buy-in helped create safer, more supportive environments for student leadership to thrive.

These efforts extended beyond individual schools. Stakeholders integrated student voices into broader civil society events such as NGO Week, amplifying their perspectives at the national level.

Workshops, inter-school exchanges, and community collaborations helped bridge the gap between education policy and classroom reality. Students were no longer passive recipients of reform — they were active contributors.

From Recipients to Architects

Lesotho’s experience highlights an important truth: student participation is not a decorative add-on to education reform. It is foundational.

When learners are given platforms, skills, and trust, they begin to shape the systems around them. They advocate for safer schools. They raise issues adults may overlook. They push for curriculum relevance. And they help design environments that reflect their needs and aspirations.

As one education leader put it, when students are equipped to lead, they move from being recipients of education to becoming its architects.

Lessons for Education Systems Everywhere

Challenges remain. Structural inequities, resource constraints, and cultural resistance do not disappear overnight. But Lesotho’s journey offers powerful lessons for education systems worldwide:

• Participation must be structured, not symbolic

• Youth leadership requires adult partnership and training

• Peacebuilding and mediation skills are essential in fragile contexts

• Policy commitments must translate into practical school-level mechanisms

Today, the Lesotho Council of NGOs continues working to embed youth participation into school governance, promote inclusive practices across rural and urban schools, and strengthen collaboration between students, educators, and policymakers.

The foundation is being laid for a more democratic, responsive, and student-centered education system.

And perhaps most importantly, young people in Lesotho are proving something powerful: when given the chance, they don’t just adapt to the system — they help transform it.