Council On Higher Education Lesotho

𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐨

We were honoured to host Prof. Kirti Menon as a guest consultant at the Stakeholder Framework Development Workshop on Micro-Credentials, held at Victory Hall from 22–24 June.

Key discussions focused on how the Commonwealth Micro-credential Framework can be aligned with the Lesotho Qualifications Framework (LQF) ensuring that shorter, flexible learning opportunities can contribute meaningfully to formal qualifications and skills development.

This initiative highlights the potential of micro-credentials to:
✅ Expand access to flexible, quality learning opportunities
✅ Support skills development and employability
✅ Benefit Basotho by recognising prior learning and enabling lifelong learning pathways
Together, we are building a more inclusive, future-ready education and training system for Basotho.

https://www.che.ac.ls/development-of-a-national-framework-for-micro-credentials/

A capacity building workshop on the new External Quality Assurance (EQA) system was held at Lancers Inn in Maseru, with support from the Commonwealth of Learning (CoL).
The workshop featured tailored sessions for CHE staff, external stakeholders including HEIs, Employers, Government Ministries, and Professional bodies as well as Council and HEQAC members. Participants engaged with Institutional Audit Framework (AIF), Programme Accreditation Framework (PAF), and Tuition Provider Framework (TPF) and how Monitoring & Evaluation strengthens quality assurance. The revised system streamlines standards, reduces duplication, aemphasises stronger internal quality assurance in higher education institutions, and alignment of programmes with national priorities and labour market needs.

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐱 (𝐏𝐐𝐌)

On 9 June 2026, the Council on Higher Education (CHE) hosted a stakeholder validation workshop in Maseru, building on the consultations held on 26 – 27 March 2026. The workshop brought together key stakeholders, including heads of Higher Education Institutions, Government Ministries, National Manpower Development Secretariat, Teaching Service Department, commisions responsible for employment in the public sector, Professional bodies, Private sector and Students. To validate proposed Relevance Indicators aimed at aligning academic programmes with national priorities and labour market needs.
A key highlight was the strong emphasis on the need for institutions to transform their programme offerings such that obsolete programmes are taken out of the system. It was pointed out that higher education is a critical pillar for the Kingdom's economic development. Thus, its progrommes have to be relevant to the contemporary and future socio-economic development needs of the country and the world at large, hence the Relevance Indicators.
Together, we are building a more responsive, relevant, and future-ready education sector.

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CHE is statutory corporate body established by Section 4 of the Higher Education Act 2004. The overall mandate of CHE is quality promotion, quality assurance and to advise the Minister of Education and Training.
Council on Higher Education invites legally registered suppliers interested in doing business with the organisation to register on its database. CHE specifically request service providers in the following categories:
NB: Deadline- 15 May 2026

The CHE as the secretariat of the Southern African Quality Assurance Network (SAQAN), is excited to share the second call for papers for the SAQAN conference to be held in Zimbabwe on 23rd - 25th September 2026.

The closing date for submissions is 5th June 2026.

This is yet another opportunity for us to increase our knowledge and research base as HEIs, as we strengthen both the external and internal quality assurance systems in Lesotho.

May you therefore encourage your institutions to submit and attend the conference.

We hope to see you there!

For more Info visit: chrome-extensio://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.che.ac.ls/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/SECOND-ANNOUNCEMENT-7th-SOUTHERN-AFRICAN-QUALITY-ASSURANCE-NETWORK-SAQAN-CONFERENCE.pdf

Meet CHE's New Director Quality Assurance.

We are happy to announce Ms Nthabiseng Mobe as our newly appointed Director of Quality Assurance. She brings wealth of experience having worked at the Lesotho College of Education at different levels, including being a Lecturer, Director Academic Planning and acting as Rector for seven months. Her responsibilities at CHE include overseeing Quality Assurance initiatives which are at the core of our mandate.

CHE is statutory corporate body established by Section 4 of the Higher Education Act 2004. The overall mandate of CHE is quality promotion, quality assurance and to advise the Minister of Education and Training.

Council on Higher Education invites legally registered suppliers interested in doing business with the organisation to register on its database. CHE specifically request service providers in the following categories:

https://www.che.ac.ls/tendeers/

The Council on Higher Education (CHE) hosted a two-day stakeholder consultation workshop (March 26–27, 2026) in Maseru to deliberate on reforming programmes offered by higher education institutions so that they are relevant and address national priorities and market needs.
Participants at this workshop were Heads of institutions, Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Finance and Development, Ministry of Labour and Employment, National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS), professional bodies such as Lesotho Institute of Accountants, Law Society of Lesotho, Lesotho Nursing Council, Lesotho Medical, Dental and Pharmaceutical Council, Engineering Association of Lesotho, Public Service Commission, Teaching Service Commission, Local Government Service Commission, private sector representatives and CHE staff.

Key highlights from the engagement:
There were three presentations to set the scene and provide context for the engagement. The first presentation was by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning on the economic trajectory and national priorities for the next ten years. The presentation pointed to the urgent need for transformation, not only in the skills development sector, but in other sectors as well given the changes influenced by COVID 19 and geo-politics among other things. The second presentation was delivered by the Ministry of Education and Training wherein sectoral priorities were highlighted in relation to access to higher education, quality assurance and research. Institutions were urged to take these into account when they develop new programmes, and review already existing ones. The third and final presentation by the Ministry of Labour and Employment indicated the skills shortages and mismatch in the labour market as a result of poor collaboration between institutions and industry. It became clear from the presentation that expatriates are granted work permits to work in the Kingdom in large numbers because they have skills that Basotho do not have. Institutions were called upon to close this gap with programmes that are responsive to the market needs.

The workshop deliberated on development of performance indicators that will be used by institutions to assess relevance of their programmes. These are called Programme Relevance Indicators. If a programme is found not to be relevant it will either be reviewed or be phased-out and replaced by those that are more relevant. Once the indicators are finalised and approved by CHE, they will be implemented by institutions and monitored by CHE. NMDS will contribute through ensuring that only relevant programmes offered by higher education institutions are financed. These processes should ultimately lead to the transformation of higher education in Lesotho.