# Free primary education begins to be introduced (2000)

URL: https://allhistories.com/lesotho/timeline/2000-free-primary-education-begins-to-be-introduced
Location: Maseru, Lesotho
Themes: main-event

In 2000 Lesotho began introducing free primary education, with fees removed first for the youngest children. The change was phased in year by year, and the available pages give neither pupil numbers nor an exact schedule. The aim was to widen access to schooling for children from poor households. The reform was followed by the 2005 Education Sector Strategic Plan, which aimed at greater access for children with special educational needs. In 2008 a campus of Limkokwing University opened in Maseru. By 2010 primary enrolment was 82 per cent, while in 2005 only 24.0 per cent of 13- to 17-year-olds attended secondary school, so access beyond primary level remained limited. An Education Act of 2010 then made primary education both free and compulsory. Wikipedia reports adult literacy of 95 per cent for women and 83 per cent for men, an unusual pattern in Africa. The available pages give no more detail on the 2000 introduction itself. At this point in the timeline (2000), Letsie III (7 Feb 1996 – present) was King of Lesotho, a constitutional head of state; Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili (29 May 1998 – 8 Jun 2012) led the government.

## Why it matters
Free primary schooling widened access and underpins Lesotho's high literacy, in which women lead men.

Ruler at the Time: [Letsie III (second reign)](https://allhistories.com/lesotho/rulers/letsie-iii-second-reign-1996)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Education in Lesotho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Lesotho)
- [Wikipedia — Lesotho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesotho)