Activists sue Lesotho education minister over school fees
SECTION 2 argues barring learners from exams for parental debt violates their right to education.
Human rights activists, SECTION 2, have taken Education and Training Minister Professor Ntoi Rapapa to the Constitutional Court. They seek to prevent schools from barring learners from final examinations due to unpaid school or examination fees. SECTION 2 argues this practice punishes children for parental debts, violating their constitutional right to education.
SECTION 2 Coordinator Morapeli Roman Masoto stated in an affidavit that excluding learners over unpaid fees interferes with their right to education. The group is seeking urgent court orders against the practice. The central question is whether Lesotho law permits educational consequences for children based on their parents' debts.
Mr Masoto argues that the law does not permit such exclusions, deeming the practice unlawful and discriminatory based on socio-economic status. He cited Section 25 of the Constitution, which supports the progressive realisation of state policy principles, asserting that this does not make Chapter III rights unenforceable.
Why it mattersLearners in Lesotho may be barred from final examinations if their parents owe school fees.