By Thoboloko Ntšonyane
MASERU
The youth face mounting challenges, from unemployment to a lack of technical skills, yet their aspirations remain high. The national budget has once again spotlighted the pressing challenges facing Lesotho’s youth unemployment, lack of skills, and limited opportunities.
With many forced into informal and even dangerous work, such as illegal mining, the government’s budget, the analysts cautioned that it must go beyond rhetoric and prioritise tangible investments in education, vocational training, and job creation.
While the Minister of Finance and Development Planning, Dr Retšelisitsoe Matlanyane acknowledged the severity of this issue in her recently tabled budget speech, the absence of a detailed strategy to address it has left many questioning the government’s commitment to real solutions.
During the budget estimates, the Finance Minister reported that out of 760,230 young Basotho aged 15 to 35, approximately 145,087 were unemployed, accounting for 39% of those actively seeking work.
Unemployment remains one of the most pressing socio-economic challenges, with thousands of youth and graduates struggling to secure employment opportunities.
With economic growth heavily reliant on sectors facing stagnation, the country needs urgent and practical interventions to curb rising joblessness and foster sustainable employment opportunities.
She further highlighted the gender disparity, revealing that young women faced a higher unemployment rate of 40.8%, compared to 37.1% for young men.
Dr Matlanyane also noted that 226,857 youth had become discouraged and abandoned their job search entirely.
These alarming statistics are drawn from the 2024 Labour Force Survey. In response, she stated that the government is prioritising private sector-led growth, targeted youth programmes, and ensuring that skills development aligns with labour market needs.
A group of youth leaders from various organisations across Lesotho expresses appreciation for the Minister’s 2025/2026 Budget Speech, particularly the alignment with the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) II, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the National Youth Policy.
Tumelo Moteuli, Kopano Khama, Bokang Ralitabo and Mohlakaqala Mofundisi commended the government’s recognition of youth as key to national development and acknowledged initiatives to create employment, promote entrepreneurship, and invest in skills development.
However, this quartet raised several urgent concerns and requests in the letter they wrote to the Finance Minister, including the operationalisation of the National Youth Council. They stress its importance in coordinating youth development initiatives and ensuring structured engagement in governance.
They further requested Allocation of Alcohol and Tobacco Levies to Youth Development. They request reconsideration of their December 2022 proposal for a portion of these levies to be channelled into youth empowerment programmes.
These young leaders want the introduction of free Secondary and High School Education. They have highlighted the financial barriers preventing many young people from accessing education and advocate for a government-led solution.
Expansion of the National Volunteer Corps (NVC), they argue the number of participants from 60 to 100 is inadequate given the 145,087 unemployed youth and over 15,000 pending applications.
They have called for greater investment in the programme.
They have also championed for the centralisation of youth programmes to fall under the yet to be established National Youth Council. According to them, initiatives such as Sebabatso Youth Empowerment Initiative and Youth Connekt should be managed under a single body to ensure efficiency and accountability.
The quartet has also called for the finalisation of the Youth Development Bill 2024 urging the government to expedite its enactment and allocate resources for National Youth Council elections in the upcoming fiscal year.
The letter requests a response within ten working days, emphasising the importance of youth engagement in governance and national development.
The Chairperson of the Parliament Portfolio Committees, Hon Mokhothu Makhalanyane, expressed his frustration over the country’s stagnation despite the availability of factory shells and interest from other countries.
He stated that Parliament will insist that the government adopts a clear vision and direction to drive economic growth.
Prof Nqosa Mahao labelled the youth unemployment as the “elephant in the room” saying the Minister was not convincing on how the government plans to tackle it. “She puts it in the modest figure of about 39%, I suspect is much, much more than that.”
He continued: “We are dealing with a situation where there is zama-zamas (people mining illegally in abandoned mines) in South Africa and those are our people who do not have skills that would enable them to earn a living in a decent way to the extent that they have to go to those desperate levels.
“All it says is that this government has not created a serious job creation plan and as a result we are going to be sitting for a while with a very serious crisis of youth unemployment which incidentally spills into the social sphere. Why is the crime rate so high in the country and why now our relations with South Africa have deteriorated as a result of people who find opportunities in illegal mining?”
Commenting on the budget, Hon Montoeli Masoetsa blamed Lesotho’s education system saying that it fails to address economic needs.
He stated that unless the country makes significant investments in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to equip young people and artisans with essential skills, progress will remain limited. These skilled individuals could then be deployed to local councils to ensure the installation of water systems in rural areas, produce furniture for the councils, and assist communities with their expertise.
“This practice of using young people for political purposes- to sing and hurl insults, leaves them vulnerable when the government changes, with no tangible skills to sustain them,” he said.
Masoetsa further argued that government projects offering temporary employment to young people are not sustainable, as they do not provide long-term solutions.
“When these initiatives last only three years, where is the sustainability? There is none. That is why we must invest meaningfully in skills development,” he stated.
The Minister of Gender, Youth, and Social Development, Hon. Pitso Lesaoana, welcomed the M400 growth fund which the Finance Minister announced in her speech stating that it is set to empower numerous youth- and women-led businesses.
The Growth Fund is expected to operate across the country, reaching both urban and rural areas to drive economic development while ensuring inclusion.