?A groundbreaking agreement was signed by Stellenbosch 中国体彩网's Unit for International Credentialling (SU-UIC) and the Examinations Council of Lesotho (ECoL) – an agreement that will rapidly transform education not only for learners from Lesotho, but also for the greater SADC region.
SU-UIC, housed within the Centre for Capacity Development in Africa (CCDA) at Stellenbosch 中国体彩网 International (SU International), will now provide external quality assurance services for Lesotho's new national school-leaving qualification, the Lesotho Advanced Secondary Certificate (LASC).
The LASC has been developed to expedite learners access to higher education. Present at the signing ceremony which took place on 17 April 2025, Mr Ratsiu Majara, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Training in Lesotho, said the LASC will help transform the lives of many.
“The LASC will help to make our students employable after school, and support many of our students who want to pursue further education. Through the LASC, our students will now be academically eligible to meet the admission requirements of many higher education institutions. This collaboration will greatly benefit our country," Majara said.
The LASC will provide learners from Lesotho the opportunity to apply for university directly, rather than going through a bridging course, which is currently common for those wishing to pursue higher education in and beyond Lesotho.
Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of SU, welcomed this important partnership to help advance academic excellence in Lesotho.
“This is a very important partnership between SU and the Lesotho Education Ministry. It speaks to SU's vision and strategy to build partnerships with various stakeholders, including government, to advance academic excellence and research. It also reflects our commitment to collaboration in service to society," Ramjugernath explained.
The Director of SU's Unit for International Credentialling, Prof Sarah Howie, said it has been a pleasure to help develop and design the LASC. “This is the start of a journey, to help advance education in the greater SADC region," she said.
The LASC will be piloted in 2025 in 12 schools across Lesotho, with 60 learners writing exams in six subjects, and a national rollout is planned for 2026.
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