Duration of compulsory education (years) in Lesotho
Lesotho: Duration of compulsory education (years) was 7 years in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
7 years
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
173rd
of 206 countries
All-time high
7 years
in 2010
All-time low
7 years
in 2010
Years of data
16
2010–2025
Duration of compulsory education in Lesotho, 2010–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for duration of compulsory education in Lesotho is 7 years, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, duration of compulsory education in Lesotho peaked at 7 years in 2010 and was at its lowest, 7 years, in 2010.
Lesotho ranks 173rd of 206 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Duration of compulsory education (years) in Lesotho, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 7 years | — |
| 2011 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 7 years | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 7 years | +0.0% |
Lesotho compared with similar countries
- Lesotho's 7 years is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 9 years, 78% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
- Lesotho's 7 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8 years, 88% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 7 years | 7 years | 7 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 7 years | 7 years | 7 years | 6 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
More education data for Lesotho
- Gender gap education levels, gaps filled 68.25 (2024)
- Primary enrollment selected countries, gaps filled 67.83 (2024)
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 5,672 (2023)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 30,627 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 22,924 (2022)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 23,698 (2022)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 136,497 (2017)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 309,480 (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate -0.8093 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is duration of compulsory education in Lesotho?
- Duration of compulsory education in Lesotho was 7 years in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest duration of compulsory education recorded in Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 7 years in 2010.
- What is the lowest duration of compulsory education recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was 7 years in 2010.
- How does Lesotho rank for duration of compulsory education?
- Lesotho ranks 173rd out of 206 countries with data for 2025.
- Is duration of compulsory education rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Lesotho data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Duration of compulsory education (years). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release