LESOTHO LOCALIZED CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT IN
SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION
Collaboration between the Examinations Council of Lesotho and
Cambridge International Examinations
Background
The Cambridge Overseas School Certificate (COSC) taken at the end of secondary school in
Lesotho is currently made up of Cambridge GCE O Levels, marked and graded by ECOL in
Lesotho since, 1989. As part of Lesotho’s national educational development, the COSC is
being replaced by a locally produced qualification -- the Lesotho General Certificate of
Secondary Education (LGCSE), which is being developed over a period of years in three/four
main stages. In light of the prevailing and envisaged changes in the assessment of education
in Lesotho, LGCSE is more relevant than COSC. The reason being that, LGCSE will exist as
a qualification where performance in each subject is individually recognized, unlike with
COSC, which is based on a group award system.
The grades will change from A1, A2, B2, B3, C5, C6, D7, E8 and U9 to A*, A, B, C, D, E, F,
G. LGSCE is a non -group examination. It does not have 1st class, 2nd class, 3rd class GCE
and Fail. There will be no need for numerals on the grades as an aggregate will serve no
purpose in a non -group examination.
The advantage of LGCSE is that all subjects in the curriculum will have the same status and
therefore English will cease to be a passing/ failing subject. It also caters for a much wider
learning aptitude range as it recognises achievement below grade E (currently lowest level
boundary for COSC) with clear and concise performance descriptors for this lower level.
In terms of standards, LGCSE is equivalent to O’Level, Botswana - BGCSE, Namibia NGCSE, and Swaziland - SGCSE. It is accredited by CIE and therefore, recognised
internationally. LGCSE has been presented to Higher Education South Africa (HESA) which
will communicate the standards for LGCSE to the Universities in South Africa, The
Countries in Southern Africa are aware of the developments in Lesotho through the Southern
Africa Association for Educational Assessment (SAAEA), which Lesotho hosted its
conference in 2013. The Examinations Council of Lesotho is a member of the Association
for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA) and International Association for Educational
Assessment (IAEA), ECoL has shared with colleagues from all over the world in conference
organised by the afore-mentioned international organisations about the developments in
education in Lesotho.
In Lesotho, LGCSE has been and will continue to be publicised. The institutions of higher
learning in Lesotho have already been requested to change their admission requirements to
accommodate the new qualification for Lesotho. I could safely say the National University
of Lesotho has started. The Council of Higher Education in Lesotho has been informed of
the developments regarding (LGCSE) and has created an environment to discuss with
stakeholders the implications of introducing LGCSE to higher education in Lesotho.
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The O’Level/COSC May/June supplementary examinations will continue for some years. As
long as we have the O’Level/COSC supplementary Examinations, then LGCSE
supplementary examinations will be taken in October/November every year.
It should always be born in mind that Lesotho was now the only country in Southern Africa
which did not have its qualification at senior secondary level. Hence would not be in the
position to change its curriculum and assessment strategies to suite Lesotho’s political and
social-economic environment.
Localisation Programme (2012-)
Subjects
Group 1: English Language, Maths, History, Geography, Physical
Sciences, Development Studies
Group 2: English Literature, Biology, Accounting, Design &
Technology, Religious Studies, Agriculture, Sesotho
Group 3: Fashion & Textiles, Food & Nutrition
Group 4/New IGCSEs ICT, Business Studies, Economics, Travel &
Tourism
LGCSE Disciplines
The LGCSE curriculum has five subject disciplines, mainly
1. Languages (English Language and Sesotho Language)
2. Social Sciences (Literature in English, Religious Studies, History, Geography,
Development Studies and Economics)
3. Sciences ( Biology and Physical Science)
4. Mathematics
5. Creative, Technical and Vocational (Agriculture, Design and Technology, Fashion
and Textiles, Food and Nutrition, ICT, Business Studies, Accounting and Travel and
Tourism.
In order to guide the school curriculum, it is compulsory for school candidates to take two
Languages, one Social Science, one Science, and Subject Mathematics, one subject from the
Creative, Technical and Vocational area. have to choose seven subjects to increase their
chance of admission into tertiary institutions, and for developing an all-round person.
Disciplines 1, 3 & 4 are compulsory. A candidate can take additional subjects from any
discipline to have the required seven subjects.
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