By ‘Mantoetse Maama
MASERU — Contrary to popular belief by opposition politicians, school fees will not be increased this year, the education minister said yesterday.
Announcing the final examination results for the 2013 Junior Certificate, ‘Makabelo Mosothoane assured the nation fees would not be hiked as erroneously predicted by some politicians.
“I make this announcement because people told me that other politicians said we are going to increase the fees. I want to assure the nation that this is not going to happen,” she said.
For a greater part of last year, the leader of the main opposition Democratic Congress (DC), Pakalitha Mosisili, attacked the coalition government which he said was inconsiderate for hiking the fees his
administration had pegged at a reasonable level.
Meanwhile Mosothoane told a media briefing yesterday that the overall percentage pass rate for 2013 had increased as compared to that of the previous year.
Out of the 20 894 candidates who sat for the examinations in the 2013, about 71.1 percent which is around 14 862 passed, while 6 032 candidates or 28.9 percent failed.
Mosothoane said the percentages of candidates who obtained first class with merit had increased in comparison with that of 2012.
She however said the number in percentage of candidates who obtained first class had decreased while on the other hand the number of pupils with second and third class passes had also increased.
The country’s highest performing candidates are Budiake Yanny Lugemba of Lesotho High School and Kopeka ‘Mmaswati of Leribe English Medium School.
The highest performing district is Mokhotlong with an 80 percent pass rate.
