A byproduct of the long history of missionary activity in Lesotho was the relatively comprehensive development of education. In 1996, Lesotho had 1,249 primary schools with 374,628 primary school pupils taught by 7,898 teachers, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 47 to 1. In that same year, 68,132 secondary school students were taught by 2,878 teachers. As of 1999, 59% of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school, while 20% of those eligible attended secondary school.Education is compulsory between the ages of 6 and 13.
The languages of instruction are Sesotho and English. From the fifth year of primary school onwards, all instruction is conducted in English. Projected adult illiteracy rates for the year 2000 stand at 16.1% (males, 26.4%, females, 6.4%).
The University of Lesotho, Botswana, and Swaziland (formerly known as Pius XII College), founded in 1964 at Roma, was unilaterally dissolved in October 1975 by Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan, who then renamed it the National University of Lesotho. Lesotho Agricultural College, at Maseru, was founded in 1955. In 1997, all higher level institutions had 4,614 pupils and 574 teaching staff.